The president made the announcement when he officiated the Madaraka Day Celebrations at Nyayo stadium. CFM.
The PC’s term effectively comes to an end, leaving County Commissioners as representatives of the national government in the counties.
Speaking during the Madaraka day celebrations on Saturday, President Uhuru Kenyatta said that the government will ensure that the process of restructuring the Provincial Administration is concluded as required by the Constitution.
President Kenyatta said that PC’s and other officials of the provincial administration will be assigned other duties.
“I have directed that Provincial Commissioners and other provincial Heads of Department in the former Provinces be redeployed for other national duties,” the President said.
The County Commissioners had complained severally about what they termed as duplication of roles between their offices and those of the Provincial Commissioners. The provincial administrators were also at loggerheads with County Governors who often insisted they were senior in ranking.
Section 17 of the Sixth Schedule provides that the government restructures the provincial administration within five years of the promulgation of the constitution.
It states that: “Within five years after the effective date, the national government shall restructure the system of administration commonly known as the provincial administration to accord with and respect the system of devolved government established under this Constitution.”
The President reiterated that his government was determined to ensure the success of the devolved system of government which, he said, will facilitate the delivery of services and ensure equity as well as lead to the emergence of new centers of economic development.
He announced that the national government will lend its support to the counties besides promoting cooperation between both the national and devolved units, insisting that the two levels of government were not in competition.
“Through enactment of various legislations, the National Government has continued to realign its functions and the process of transfer of functions to the County Governments has started. The National Government will continue to give support to the county governments through capacity building.”
“I pledge to promote the spirit of cooperation and consultation as provided for in the Constitution in order to enhance synergy and cooperation between the two levels of Government for the benefit of all Kenyans,” the president said.
President Kenyatta further urged governors and other leaders at the county level to focus critically on growing county economies to help create opportunities and wealth for the people instead of concentrating their energies on power wrangles.
He directed the ministry of Devolution and Planning to move forward with the strategy for implementation of integrated service delivery and the creation of a “one stop shop” Citizen Service Delivery Centers.
He ordered the Secretary for Devolution Anne Waiguru to also initiate modalities for rationalization of the public service to make it effective, efficient and to institute measures and standards for improved service delivery.
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