By Anchor Writers
County governors have intensified calls for the completion of the devolution process, urging the national government to release the remaining devolved functions and allocate adequate funding. The push comes amid concerns over counties being overwhelmed by their current mandates and persistent corruption challenges.
Speaking during the 11th National and County Governments Coordinating Summit held at State House, Nairobi, governors stressed that incomplete devolution is stifling service delivery.
Governors Wavinya Ndeti (Machakos),Kitui’s Dr. Julius Malombe and Mr. Mutula Kilonzo from Makueni attended the summit.
The leaders, through the Council of Governors (CoG) Chairperson Ahmed Abdullahi, highlighted the urgent need to gazette the transfer of pending functions alongside their attendant resources to empower counties.
“Without proper funding and the transfer of remaining functions, counties cannot effectively fulfill their constitutional mandate. It is crucial to expedite this process for devolution to realize its full potential,” said Abdullahi, who is also the Governor of Wajir.
Abdullahi also cited the unresolved valuation of assets from defunct local authorities and the absence or inefficiency of sector forums as critical impediments to devolution’s success.
Despite the county governments’ efforts to enhance governance, systemic corruption remains a significant hurdle. Many counties are grappling with alarming levels of mismanagement, further complicating their ability to deliver on existing functions.
President William Ruto, who chaired the summit, acknowledged the challenges facing counties, including delays in revenue disbursements. While attributing the delays to inherited fiscal vulnerabilities, the President reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening devolution.
“This challenge cannot and should not be mistaken for a lack of commitment to devolution. It is a temporary difficulty, and we are working to ensure timely revenue disbursements and create fiscal stability,” he said.
The Head of State also announced that the transfer of agreed-upon functions from the national government would be gazetted by Friday. He directed the Inter-Governmental Relations Technical Committee (IGRTC) to allocate resources tied to these functions in the next budget cycle.
The summit, which brought together governors from all 47 counties, provided a platform for dialogue on resolving longstanding issues that continue to undermine devolution as envisioned in Kenya’s 2010 Constitution.
While governors welcomed the national government’s pledges, they underscored the need for decisive action to end delays in revenue allocation and ensure counties are adequately funded to fulfill their mandates.
