Murang’a tops counties in job creation, digital services ranking

From Left) Murarandia Ward MCA and ICT Committee Vice Chair Peter Munga, ICT and Government Chair Moses Mirara, Secretary for the State Department for Devolution Michael Loikenu Lenasalon and CECM for Finance and Economic Planning Prof. Kiarie Mwaura during the launch of the Rapid Assessment on Automation of Citizen Service Delivery and Employment Creation Report at the Kenya Vision 2030 Ruwaza Centre, Britam Centre, Upper Hill, Nairobi, on February 24, 2026./ENOS TECHE

Murang’a, Nakuru and Kiambu have emerged as the top-performing counties in job creation, automation and delivery of e-government services.

This is according to a new report released by the Vision 2030 Delivery Secretariat on Tuesday.

The report ranked Murang’a first with a score of 98.3 per cent, followed by Nakuru at 87.3 per cent, Kiambu at 83.9 per cent, Kisumu at 81.2 per cent, while Meru rounded off the top five.

The assessment examined counties’ performance in employment creation initiatives, digitisation of services, reliability of revenue systems and the use of data and innovation to improve service delivery.

Vision 2030 Delivery Secretariat Director-General Kenneth Mwige said the ranking focused on how counties are leveraging technology to ease access to services while stimulating economic opportunities.

“The agency examined critical areas such as job creation efforts, ease of accessing services online, and the safety and reliability of county revenue management systems,” Mwige said during the launch of the report.

The event was attended by Principal Secretaries, county executives and representatives from the Council of Governors.

Murang’a’s top position was attributed to full automation of services, which has doubled its own-source revenue without increasing taxes or levies.

The county has digitised hospital operations, introduced online permit applications and rolled out smart agriculture programmes such as Inua Mkulima, which allows farmers to receive subsidies directly through their mobile phones.

Murang’a County Finance Executive Prof. Kiarie Mwaura said automation has transformed revenue collection and service delivery.

“Our revenue has grown from less than Sh500 million to more than Sh1.3 billion without increasing any charges. We have moved critical services online, including healthcare, permits and agricultural support, and we are working on integrating them into a single application,” he said.

The report shows that only seven counties, representing 14.9 per cent, scored between 80 and 100 per cent, indicating high levels of automation and effective employment programmes.

Seventeen counties (36.2 per cent) scored between 60 and 79 per cent, while another 17 fell within the 40 to 59 per cent bracket.

Six counties, equivalent to 4.3 per cent, scored below 40 per cent, signalling significant gaps in digital service delivery and economic empowerment efforts.

According to the findings, counties that performed well had invested in cashless revenue collection systems, enterprise resource planning platforms, and digital business licensing.

They also implemented structured programmes for youth skilling, entrepreneurship support and data-driven planning.

However, the study highlighted major disparities across the 47 counties, with several lagging behind due to limited automation, high implementation costs and inadequate legal frameworks to support digital transformation.

“Some counties still rely heavily on manual systems and cash transactions, which affect efficiency, transparency and revenue growth,” Mwige noted.

The report also flagged overreliance on national government and donor-funded programmes for employment initiatives, warning that this undermines sustainability.

High recurrent expenditure was cited as a key constraint, leaving limited funds for economic empowerment projects.

Other challenges include digital illiteracy, limited internet connectivity in rural areas and cybersecurity risks associated with automated systems.

The ranking is part of the monitoring and evaluation role of the Vision 2030 Delivery Secretariat, which tracks progress of county governments in implementing projects aligned with the national development blueprint.

Launched in 2008, the Kenya Vision 2030 aims to transform Kenya into a newly industrialising, middle-income economy with a high quality of life for its citizens.

Devolution, anchored in the 2010 Constitution, was identified as a key vehicle for achieving equitable development and improving service delivery at the grassroots.

The report notes that automation and digitisation of county services are critical enablers of the Vision’s economic and social pillars, particularly in enhancing transparency, reducing corruption and improving citizen experience.

To accelerate progress, the Secretariat recommended the establishment of a legal framework to compel counties to automate essential services such as revenue collection and health management systems.

It also called for ring-fencing of funds for youth entrepreneurship, micro, small and medium enterprise development, and ICT infrastructure.

Further recommendations include strengthening county legislation to support long-term employment programmes, expanding last-mile internet connectivity and developing user-friendly digital platforms with local language options to improve inclusivity.

The report underscores the urgency of addressing youth unemployment, noting that Kenya’s growing population of young people presents both an opportunity for innovation and a risk of social instability if not harnessed through deliberate county-led economic strategies.

“Automation and digitisation are important catalysts for efficient service delivery, but they must be complemented by strong leadership, sound governance and sustainable economic policies,” the report states.

Counties that scored poorly were urged to adopt multi-sectoral approaches combining private sector partnerships, skills development, infrastructure investment and business incubation to spur job creation.

As counties enter the next phase of implementing their County Integrated Development Plans, the ranking is expected to inform planning, budgeting and policy reforms aimed at enhancing service delivery and economic growth.

The findings are likely to intensify competition among counties to improve digital systems, boost own-source revenue and create jobs as devolution continues to play a central role in Kenya’s development agenda.