Commission on Revenue Allocation chairman Michael Cheserem has urged counties to dismiss redundant staff as a way of reining in rising wage bills.
Mr Cheserem said the devolved units would have more money for development if they reduced the number of employees.
Speaking when he paid a courtesy call on Kisii Governor James Ongwae in his office on Tuesday, Mr Cheserem said salaries consumed a huge chunk of the money allocated to counties.
He called for the retrenchment of staff in counties registering more than 35 per cent in recurrent expenditure.
“I think governors who will come in the next term should think along this line so that devolution can have its intended effect,” Mr Cheserem said.
He cited Kisii as one of the counties with an unacceptable wage bill.