The Chairman, Council of Governors H.E. Josphat Nanok, led the Kenya Delegation to the Africities 8 Summit held on November 20 -24, 2018 in Marrakech – Morocco. The Delegation included Governors, County Executive Committee members in charge of Lands, housing and urban development and Members of various County Assemblies.
In 2010, Kenya promulgated a new Constitution which introduced a devolved system of governance. With Counties now implementing functions as enshrined in the fourth schedule of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010, access to services has successfully improved and Kenyans are overwhelmingly in support of devolution. Despite the strides on planning, budgeting and public participation, there have been challenges too. However, County Governments are committed to ensuring that the objects of the devolved system of governance as enshrined in the Constitution are achieved.
The Council of Governors, cognizant of this, organized a side event during the Africities Summit on 22nd November, 2018 to share the “Devolution Experience in Kenya”. The summit provided the opportunity to bench mark with other countries since many African Countries continue to appreciate and admire Kenya’s system of Governance.
Speaking at the Side event, Hon Johnson Osoi, County Assemblies Forum Chairman’s representative pointed out that since the advent of devolution in Kenya, there has been an increased flow of resources to the grassroots, “In the past 6 years or so, we have seen the highest amount of resources channeled to County Governments,” he stated.
Most participants in the Kenya side event were mainly concerned with division of function between the two levels of Government if they are to implement devolution in their Countries.
The Africities summit attracts over 5000 participants from all over the world including; world and regional leaders, ministers in charge of local governments (in the Kenyan case County Governments); ministers in charge of housing and urban development; ministers of public service; local authorities and local elected officials; officials of local and central administrations; civil society organizations, associations and trade unions; economic operators of the public and private sectors as well as of the social/ solidarity economy; traditional rulers; researchers and academics; and international cooperation agencies.
Africities is the United Cities and Local Governments of Africa’s (UCLGAs) Pan-African flagship event that is held every three years in one of the five regions of Africa. The summit, organized by UCLG Africa and other partners including the Council of Governors, was focused on defining appropriate shared strategies for improving the living conditions of people at the local level and; to contribute to the integration, peace and unity of Africa starting from the grassroots.
A point that the Kenyan panelists including Ministry of Devolution and ASALS, National Treasury, County Governments and the County Assemblies Forum handled clarifying how the Constitution of Kenya outlines the functions under each level of Government.
Kenya Continues to be a benchmark for many Countries around the World. Devolution has taken course and many Countries continue to visit the Country to learn the Kenyan Model. After the 2018 Summit, the next summit will be in 2021 in Kisumu City, Kenya.