HOMA BAY, Kenya, Aug 13 — Doubtful that devolution has delivered on its promise 12 years after its launch, Kenyans say corruption, mismanagement, and weak service delivery continue to overshadow the gains, even as governors gather in Homa Bay to celebrate devolved.
Twelve years since county governments began operations, citizens say the promises made during the promulgation of the 2010 Constitution — which established the devolved units — remain largely unfulfilled.
Chris Owala, chief executive officer of the Community Initiative Action Group Kenya (CIAG-K), says corruption and nepotism have become entrenched in the counties, undermining the spirit of devolution.
“There are a lot of ghost workers in the counties — this is pure theft of public resources,” said Owala, who is attending the Devolution Conference that kicked off in Homa Bay on Wednesday.
While he acknowledged gains in infrastructure development, Owala said most counties still lack adequate personnel to provide essential services.
Health sector woes
The health sector, among the most critical of devolved functions, remains a key area of concern.
Owala pointed to staff shortages, inadequate medical supplies, limited funding, and poor policy implementation as major obstacles to quality healthcare delivery.
Norman Orege, a resident of Muhoroni, has used online platforms to highlight the problem of health facilities closing early.
“It is unimaginable that by 2pm, no health facility is operational in the entire Muhoroni and Nyando sub-counties,” he said, questioning why taxpayers receive “leap” health services.
Orege accused some healthcare workers of lateness and unwillingness to respond to emergencies, calling for tough disciplinary action.
Owala blamed the national government for failing to release adequate funds to the counties to roll out health services effectively.
“It was a good idea to devolve health, but our national government is steadily killing it by stifling funds to the counties,” he said.
He also criticised counties for treating health as a revenue earner instead of finding innovative ways to raise their own income.
However, Collins Omondi argued that the national government rushed the devolution of health functions.
“The national government should take up this role temporarily and give counties time to reorganize themselves on how to handle health matters. We are tired of these frequent strikes,” he said.
Funding disputes
Owala said Kenyans will only enjoy the benefits of devolution once specific laws operationalise the constitutional framework.
He accused the national government of holding back about Sh272 billion meant for counties.
“The national government is still implementing county functions. Look at Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA) and NG-CDF — these should [be] performed by the counties,” he said.
On education, Owala decried the neglect of Early Childhood Development (ECD) by both county and national governments, despite being the foundation for learning.
He said the sector lacks sufficient funding and a clear framework for teacher management.
Omondi, however, lauded the economic growth spurred by devolution, noting that business activity in counties has grown and supported local solutions.
“Our local economy has grown. My plea to counties is to expedite the payment of pending bills facing suppliers and contractors,” he said.
Looking ahead, residents say enhancing public participation will be key to ensuring devolution delivers on its promise in the coming years.
