This archive report was first published on 15 December 2019.
On Jamhuri Day in 2019, governors across the country reflected on their performance since the introduction of county governments in 2013, a milestone in Kenya's socio-economic and political landscape.
While devolution has achieved notable successes, including the expansion of infrastructure and provision of health services, it has also faced numerous challenges. Health personnel have staged more strikes in the past six years than any other time in history, protesting poor management and treatment.
Opinion is divided, but there is consensus that devolution has transformed development at the grassroots. Residents in some counties have seen tarmac roads and modern hospitals for the first time under devolution, and county-level hospitals can now conduct some delicate surgeries.
However, corruption, nepotism, and wastage have become rampant in the counties, with three governors – Mike Sonko, Ferdinand Waititu, and Moses Lenolkulal – locked out of office due to corruption charges. The gravity of the matter becomes patently explicit when considering the number of county officials facing legal suits over graft.
Counties are also at fault over poor financial management, with more than 30 counties blacklisted by the National Treasury for not paying their bills. This is bad governance, and the imperative is to rethink the governance of counties and institute measures to end graft, wastage, nepotism, and poor service delivery.
