Kenya’s governance has evolved from pre-colonial tribal councils to formal local government structures introduced under British colonial rule. These early systems were intended to address local issues but remained under strict central control.
After independence, local governance was overseen by the Ministry of Local Government but struggled with fi nancial instability, poor tax collection and political interference.
In 1971, key responsibilities, such as health, education and roads were transferred to the national government, further weakening local authorities.
Despite various reforms — including the Local Authorities Transfer Fund in 1998 and Local Authority Service Delivery Action Plans in 2001 — local governments continued to face financial constraints and poor service delivery.
The 2010 Constitution marked a turning point by establishing county governments with greater responsibilities. However, public focus has largely remained on the national government, limiting counties’ potential and slowing local development.
To fully realise the benefits of devolution, greater public engagement and accountability at the county level are essential.
Discussions on governance in Kenya overwhelmingly centre on the national government, often at the expense of counties, which are equally responsible for services and development.
The media, political debates and public scrutiny largely focus on the President, Cabinet and Parliament, while county administrations operate with far less oversight.
This imbalance distorts accountability, as many critical issues — such as healthcare, infrastructure, water and sanitation — fall under the mandate of county governments.
By directing attention solely to the national level, the public risks neglecting the performance of counties; allowing inefficiency and governance failures to persist unchecked.
Under the constitution, Kenya operates a two-tiered system of government, with distinct responsibilities at the national and county levels.
However, in public discourse, national leaders dominate conversations on development, while governors, county assemblies and local executives are often overlooked. This misplaced focus undermines devolution, enabling county governments to operate with limited accountability despite managing billions of shillings annually.
In Kenya, the management of hospitals is structured across different levels, with responsibilities divided between the national and county governments.
County governments oversee primary healthcare services, including community health services at the household level, dispensaries, health centres and subcounty hospitals, which provide basic inpatient and outpatient care.
They are also responsible for county referral hospitals, which off er more specialised services.
On the other hand, the national government manages higher-level healthcare facilities, including regional referral hospitals that serve multiple counties and national referral hospitals, which provide the country’s most specialised medical care.
These include institutions such as the Kenyatta National Hospital, Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital and Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital.
While national referral hospitals play a crucial role in specialised healthcare, it is county hospitals that have the most immediate and direct impact on people’s daily lives, as they handle the majority of healthcare needs.
Despite receiving significant financial allocations — amounting to at least 15 per cent of national revenue, as required by the constitution — many county governments fail in their core mandates.
They are responsible for primary healthcare, regulating agriculture and markets, managing early childhood education and vocational training, urban planning, water supply, sanitation and local transport infrastructure.
In reality, the quality of life for most Kenyans depends not on national government policies but on the efficiency of county governments.
Yet, rather than demanding better services from governors and MCAs, Kenyans continue to direct all their frustrations at the President. This excessive focus on the national government has serious consequences.
First, it allows county governments to escape scrutiny, fostering corruption, inefficiency and poor governance. National-level scandals often generate media attention and public outrage, while similar corruption at the county level, which has a more immediate impact on citizens, frequently goes unnoticed.
Second, it weakens the potential of devolution by allowing counties to underperform without accountability. If the public does not demand better services, there is little incentive for county governments to improve.
Lastly, it slows economic and social development. Counties have the power and resources to drive local progress, but when they fail, the entire nation suffers, leading to uneven development.
For devolution to succeed, Kenyans must shift their focus and actively hold county governments accountable. Residents must scrutinise county budgets, participate in public forums and question spending decisions.
County assemblies must prioritise their oversight role, rather than engaging in political patronage, while the media should dedicate more resources to investigating and exposing failures at the county level, just as they do for national politics.
Civic engagement is also critical — Kenyans must demand better services, file petitions and use the power of the ballot to elect competent leaders who can effectively manage county resources, which remain limited but are often misused.
The recent return of functions from the defunct Nairobi Metropolitan Services to Nairobi county by the President sends a strong message: counties must take full responsibility for local governance.
The creation of NMS under former President Uhuru Kenyatta was a misstep, undermining Nairobi County’s autonomy and weakening devolution.
By reversing this decision, the current administration reinforces the principle that county governments must be held accountable for service delivery. While the national government plays a vital role in policy and largescale infrastructure, the day-to-day services that affect ordinary Kenyans — such as healthcare, roads, water, markets, and transport — fall under county governments.
Kenyans must move beyond the obsession with the President and national government and instead demand better leadership and service delivery from their governors, county executives and MCAs.
Devolution was meant to bring governance closer to the people — now, the people must rise to the occasion and ensure county governments deliver on their mandates.
The writer
is a political
commentator
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