The Council of Governors (CoG) led by the Chair H.E Anne Waiguru participated in the 20th Ordinary session of the Intergovernmental Budget and Economic Council (IBEC) summit on 5th June 2023 in Karen.
Addressing the press after chairing the meeting, Deputy President H.E Hon. Rigathi Gachagua alongside Excellency Governors, National Treasury CS and representatives of state agencies expressed the commitment of the National Government to clear all funds owed to Counties before the end of the 2022/23 FY.
“We are alive to the prevailing economic situation in the country and the financial crisis being experienced in the Counties. In view of this, we commit to work towards disbursing Counties’ equitable share for the month of April by the end of the week and May allocations by 19th June 2023. We will do everything possible to raise money for the month of June and if it is not possible, we ask Governors to bear with us,” noted H.E Rigathi Gachagua.
As resolved during the summit, the National Treasury disbursed all the outstanding balances for the FY 2022/23 equitable share allocation. This ended the impasse between the two levels of government over the timely release of funds which saw Governors threaten to shut down operations in their Counties. To this end, the National Treasury disbursed April 2023 allocations on 8th June, May allocations on 19th June and June allocations on 23rdJune 2023.
On matters pending bills, Governors were given two weeks to interrogate and ascertain the validity of the pending bills before paying them. An additional week was designated for engagement and negotiation between the Counties and the Controller (COB) to reach a mutual agreement on pertinent issues that might arise during validation.
During the session, Governors also raised alarm over the uncoordinated approach undertaken in licensing and exploitation of minerals in the Counties, a situation that has not only had detrimental impacts on the environment but also surrounding communities.
“There is need to streamline the mining sector and ensure mining activities are carried out is a safe and ec0-friendly manner. The royalties accrued from mining activities pose immense economic benefits for communities in these areas and could translate to increased revenue collection for both Counties and National Government,” said the Council Chair H.E Anne Waiguru.
“We intend to convene a stakeholder engagement forum to address challenges plaguing the mining sector and devise strategies to maximize its untapped potential,” added the mining CS Hon. Salim Mvurya.
The meeting also deliberated on other critical issues affecting County Governments including: the Equalization Fund Appropriation Bill 2023; the status of unbundling, costing and transfer of devolved functions and valuation of assets and liabilities and; matters concerning the agriculture sector, including privatization of sugar companies.
It was resolved that: the Equalization Fund Board and the Commission on Revenue Allocation to review and undertake a holistic approach on the manner in which marginalised counties were identified to ensure fairness and equity in allocation of equalization funds; a special IBEC meeting to be convened to consider the report on the status of unbundling, costing and transfer of devolved functions and valuation of assets and; there is need to explore leasing out of government-owned sugar factories as opposed to privatization following consultations with the respective Counties.

The Council of Governors (CoG) led by the Chair, H.E. Anne Waiguru joined leaders, dignitaries, and Kenyans for the Pre-Madaraka Day exhibitions and the 60th Madaraka Day celebrations led by the President H.E. Dr. William Ruto at the University of Embu and the Embu Moi Stadium respectively. The Madaraka Day celebrations were a culmination of the four-day exhibitions themed: Cooperatives and MSMEs, Trade and Revenue with a keen focus on Housing, ICT and Revenue, Devolution, Agriculture and MSMEs, Cooperatives, and Trade with each day taking a different theme.
Speaking during the opening ceremony of the exhibitions on 26th May 2023, President William Ruto underscored the importance of the affordable housing programme being implemented in collaboration with County Governments, noting that it would create employment opportunities for youth in Kenya.
“We intend to construct about 200,000 houses every year. All these houses will be constructed by Kenyans with an average of about 5 masons per house, we are looking at about 1, 000,000 jobs every year. Further, other jobs such as interior designers, cooks, architects, and material vendors will be created,” said the head of state urging stakeholders to support the Affordable housing initiative as the benefits outweigh the purported risks.
The CoG Chair, who graced the Devolution and Agriculture exhibitions called upon farmers to organize themselves or join cooperatives in order to access financial support, markets as well as better prices for their produce. Governor Waiguru highlighted that through such groups, Kirinyaga Coffee farmers managed to fetch the highest coffee bonuses of more than Ksh. 1000 per KG in the year 2022.
“Agriculture-related cooperatives play a pivotal role in boosting productivity and facilitating market access for smallholder farmers. These cooperatives have made efforts to establish input distribution systems for their members, ensuring access to quality inputs and securing fair market prices,” said the Kirinyaga County Governor.
County Governments in Kenya have a constitutional mandate to participate in economic planning and development, including fostering the growth of MSMEs and cooperatives. With an allocation of Ksh. 35.5 billion to the agricultural sector in the fiscal year 2020/2021, County Governments have made substantial investments in agricultural development.
“County Governments have invested in the agriculture sector by supporting farmers with necessary inputs and prioritizing agricultural mechanization by acquiring tractors and establishing mechanization stations. Such initiatives have significantly contributed to the development of cooperatives and MSMEs, particularly at the county level,” noted the CoG Chairperson.
However, even with such interventions, challenges persist, such as inadequate purchase structures and market linkages. By understanding market demands, cooperatives can provide members with improved access to seeds and other inputs, fair pricing, and diverse agricultural products and services.
Speaking during the same event, Embu Governor H.E Cecily Mbarire noted that the County Government of Embu is working with other Counties including Nairobi and Mombasa to establish special markets for produce from Embu such as Miraa and Muguka. This follows complaints from cooperatives and individual farmers on high market access fees in some Counties.
Kenya's cooperative sector is the strongest in Africa, controlling approximately 43% of the country's GDP. Cooperative societies provide employment opportunities for over 300,000 people and offer self-employment opportunities to many more. Among the sub-sectors, Savings and Credit Cooperatives (Saccos) have experienced remarkable growth, mobilizing savings of over Kshs 230 billion. Currently, there are approximately 15,000 registered cooperatives with around 12 million members. The sector also funds small-scale and informal enterprises, further boosting employment and economic activities, particularly at the county level.
County Governments are working in partnership with the National Government, the Private sector, and other stakeholders to strengthen these cooperatives and spur growth in the sector.

The Council of Governors (CoG), represented by the Vice Chair, CoG Human Resource Committee H.E. Mutahi Kahiga attended the Annual Pension Summit and Benchmarking Tour in Amsterdam, Netherlands from 29th May to 2nd June 2023. The summit, organized by Finnet Institute, offered an opportunity for pension stakeholders, organizations and delegates from East Africa to share learnings on global pension shifts and market developments that drive member outcomes with global thought leaders. Netherlands is ranked among the best practices in the world for retirees with a robust and sustainable pension system.
Present during the tour were the PS, Devolution Ms. Teresia Mbaika, CoG CEO Ms. Mary Mwiti, Group MD and CEO CPF Financial Services Hosea Kili amongst others. The Kenya delegation was received by Kenya’s Ambassador to the Hague, H.E. Margaret Wambui Ngugi Shava.
The summit incorporated benchmarking tours with education programs that provided best practices and fresh perspectives on how to tackle emerging pension challenges to achieve sustainable social security provisions.
“Social security is guaranteed as a basic right for every person under article 43 of the Constitution of Kenya. It seeks to ensure that all Kenyans have a dignified life and enhance their capacity to advance their own socio-economic development,” noted H.E. Mutahi Kahiga while giving his remarks.
“Pension matters do not only concern the elderly or those who are retired but also the young people. We need to inculcate a saving culture among the youth, particularly in Kenya, and encourage them to plan better so that they can improve their lives and safeguard their future,” added Ms. Mary Mwiti.
The summit discussed among others: the social security landscape in  Netherlands and trends in retirement provision; pension investment- case studies of the Netherlands; global investments and diversification, governance of fund investments and alternative investments; governance, administration, and innovation in member services; case study on blended financing and impact investing and; pension innovation and technology – a case study of People’s Pension Trust Ghana.
“The CPF is working in collaboration with the Council of Governors and County Governments to offer pension solutions that provide adequate, affordable, and sustainable retirement benefits to all Kenyans through a robust pension system,” said Mr. Hosea Kili.
It is envisaged that the lessons and insights acquired during the summit and benchmark tour will go a long way in improving Kenya’s pension system and accelerating investments, governance, and innovation in social security.

The Council of Governors (CoG) on 19th May 2023 held a special Council meeting to deliberate on matters of common interest to County Governments including the establishment of County Aggregated and Industrial Parks; the implementation of devolved health functions and; absorption of resources by Counties due to delayed disbursement of the Equitable Share.
Speaking during a consultative meeting with the Trade and Industrialization CS Hon. Moses Kuria, CoG Chair H.E. Anne Waiguru noted that the Aggregated and Industrial parks would boost agricultural production and increase Counties’ capacity to establish and develop profitable industrial enterprises.
“The financing of the Aggregation and Industrial Parks will be jointly undertaken by the National Government and County Governments while the Counties will be the primary implementers,” added Governor Waiguru while addressing members of the press after the meeting.
On health, Governors raised alarm over the planned takeover of the health function from the Counties amidst deliberate attempts by the National Government to undertake key roles assigned to County Governments. This is in gross violation of the Constitution and claws back on the gains made in the health sector over the last 10 years.
Areas singled out by the Council Chair H.E. Waiguru as the most affected by undue interference by the Ministry of Health include: Primary Health Care delivery; engagement of Community Health Promoters (CHPs); establishment of Primary Care Networks (PCNs); creation of institutions and authorities within the health sector and; proposed amendments and legislations that are against the spirit of devolution.
“We urge the National Government to desist from clawing back on the health functions and stop invading County Governments’ roles,” she added further calling upon development partners to refrain from supporting and funding National Government Ministries and interventions on devolved functions, particularly in health and agriculture.
In addition, Governors warned of a looming crisis in approximately 121 County-run health facilities owing to inadequate maintenance and servicing of equipment under the Managed Equipment Service (MES) programme.
“We call upon the Ministry of Health to urgently extend the MES contracts or find an alternative solution to ensure quality healthcare for all Kenyans and effective health service delivery,” added the Chair, of CoG Health Committee H.E. Muthomi Njuki during the press briefing.
During the Council meeting, Governors also engaged the Office of the Controller of Budget to discuss County budget implementation and absorption of funds due to delayed disbursements. This comes even as the County chiefs had previously threatened to shut down Counties should the Exchequer fail to release owed funds.
To this end, the National Treasury disbursed March 2023 allocations on 24th May 2023. Arrears are as follows: Kshs.33.3 billion owed to 47 Counties for April 2023 allocations and Kshs.31.45 billion owed to 47 Counties for May 2023 allocations.
With barely one month to the close of the 22/23 FY, the National Treasury is yet to disburse a total of Ksh. 64.75 billion to Counties, contrary to the mutual agreement made during a meeting held between CoG and National Treasury on 2nd May 2023.
“The delay in the release of County funds has severely impacted the implementation of County budgets and crippled service delivery in the devolved units. We urge the National Treasury to expedite the release of all pending monies owed to Counties,” noted the Chair, CoG Finance Committee H.E. Ferdinand Barasa during the meeting.
The Council of Governors remains committed to safeguarding the tenets of devolution and calls upon all stakeholders to work together to ensure its success for the benefit of all Kenyans.

The Council of Governors (CoG) Lands, Housing and Urban Development Committee organized an induction workshop for Chief Officers in charge of Lands, Housing and Urban Development from 8th – 12th May 2023 at Pride Inn, Mombasa County. Also in attendance were representatives from the State Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO-UN) and the National Construction Authority (NCA) among others.
“This induction workshop is key in appraising the County Chief Officers on their roles and responsibilities and provides an opportunity to take stock of the gains made and challenges encountered in the sector,” noted the Director Committees, CoG Mr Kizito Wangalwa while making opening remarks on behalf of the CoG CEO Ms Mary Mwiti.
The County Chief officers were taken through topical issues including; implementation of the National Urban Agenda; policies and legislations in the land, housing and urban development sectors; Affordable housing; County planning frameworks; integrated Planning for Inclusive & Resilient Urban Areas; intergovernmental relations and key projects and programmes in the sectors including the Kenya Informal Settlements Improvement Project (KISIP), the Digital Land Governance Programme under FAO and the Kenya Urban Support Programme ll (KUSP ll).
“We will continue to support County Governments and work in collaboration with all actors in this space to improve food and nutrition security and transform land governance in Kenya,” said Ms Husna Mbarak, Programmes Manager, FAO.
The 5-year Digital Land Governance programme is envisaged to strengthen the security of tenure and ensure equitable access to land and natural resources for the enhancement of livelihoods and sustainable socioeconomic development. In this regard, FAO in collaboration with the CoG is conducting capacity building on digital land governance, management of community land, County spatial planning, valuation Roll and property rating in all Counties across the country.
Speaking during the induction workshop, Chairperson County Executive Committee Members (CECMs) caucus for lands, housing and urban development Mr Raymond Kinyua underscored the need to work together to address the challenges plaguing the sector and leverage on the opportunities therein.
“The KUSP II targets 77 municipalities countrywide compared to the KUSP I where only 59 municipalities were involved. I urge the additional 18 municipalities to work with the Council to ensure that they meet the minimum conditions set out to benefit from the programme,” he added.
Counties were further urged to develop County Spatial Plans (CSP) in line with the National Spatial Plan to guide the County’s socioeconomic development including the County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP). 10 years into devolution, only 12 Counties have approved CSPs.
As the induction workshop came to a close, Chief officers elected their caucus leadership as follows: Chair: Francis Lekalasimi of Isiolo County; Vice Chair: Cathra Abdi of Turkana County; Secretary: James Mbae Karuku of Tharaka Nithi County; Treasurer: Catherine Changwony (CO Nakuru); Housing & urban development Champion: Cleophas Okioi of Kisii County; Physical planning Champion: Judy Leah of Nyandarua County.

The Council of Governors (CoG) Chaired by H.E. Anne Waiguru held an extraordinary Council meeting on 2nd May 2023 at the COG offices to deliberate on among others, the status of disbursement of Counties’ equitable share of the revenue.
This meeting follows a Council meeting held on 24th April 2023 where Governors promised to shut down Counties should National Treasury fail to release funds owed to Counties within 14 days. To this end, the National Treasury has disbursed February 2023 allocations amounting to Ksh.31.45 billion.
Speaking during a press briefing after the 2nd May meeting, H.E. Anne Waiguru noted that the two parties had agreed on a strategy to ensure the release of all funds owed to Counties and the prompt disbursement of May and June allocations.
“It has been resolved that the March allocations will be disbursed by 15th May 2023 and April allocations by the end of May. The disbursements for May and June should be issued within the first two weeks of June to allow Counties to absorb these resources within the financial year,” added Governor Waiguru.
Cabinet Secretary National Treasury Prof. Njuguna Ndung’u, who was invited to the extraordinary Council meeting, expressed the commitment of the Treasury to ensure the timely disbursement of all County allocations as per the disbursement schedule.
The delayed disbursement of funds has jeopardized the operations in Counties, negatively affecting service delivery to Kenyans. It has resulted in a delayed settlement of pending bills, derailed implementation of development projects, hampered County emergency response measures, and has led to non-compliance of County Governments with regard to the timely payment of employees’ salaries and remittance of statutory deductions.
Further to the meeting’s agenda, Governors also discussed the current political situation in the country following the resumption of the weekly political protests. The Council notes with concern that the ongoing conflict between the two political divides continues to have a negative impact on counties. In this regard, the Council formed a ten-member committee comprising of the Council Executive Committee; H.E. Anne Waiguru, CoG Chairperson, H.E. Ahmed Abdullahi the Vice Chairperson, and H.E. Stephen Sang the Whip. Other Governors in the committee are; H.E. Kenneth Lusaka, H.E. Fatuma Achani; H.E. Mutahi Kahiga, H.E. Simba Arati, H.E. Joseph Ole Lenku, H.E. Wavinya Ndeti and H.E. Ochillo Ayacko.
The Committee will seek to engage all leaders in both political divides to address the issues affecting Kenyans and find amicable solutions to ensure stability in the country.

The Council of Governors (CoG) will hold the 8th Devolution Conference 2023 from 15th-19th August 2023 in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County. The theme of the conference is ‘10 Years of devolution: The Present and the Future’ and the sub-theme: Driving Transformation from the local level: County Governments as the Centre of economic development. This year’s conference seeks to reflect on the last 10 years of devolution and explore locally and internationally recognized methodologies for strengthening systems to enhance transformational service delivery in Counties.
In view of the above, the Council of Governors in partnership with Safaricom on 2nd May 2023, launched the online registration for delegates and exhibitors for the Conference.
“The Conference will bring together local and international delegates to discuss, learn and share best practices on pertinent issues affecting sub-national governments and provide trade and investment opportunities for communities in Uasin Gishu and the neighboring Counties. We urge all stakeholders including members of the public to participate in the upcoming Conference,” noted the CoG Chair H.E. Anne Waiguru while addressing members of the press.
Over the last 9 years, the Council of Governors in collaboration with other devolution stakeholders, has hosted (7) Devolution Conferences across the Country with the previous Conferences being held in Kwale, Kisumu, Meru, Nakuru, Kakamega, Kirinyaga, and Makueni Counties. In line with the resolutions arising from the 6th Devolution Conference, it was agreed that the conferences would be hosted after every two years to allow sufficient time for partners to fully implement the resolutions that emanate from the conferences.
This year’s Devolution Conference will include a wide array of pre-conference activities. In appreciation of the need to elevate children’s voices in governance and development, the planning committee has organized a Children’s Conference to be held from 3rd to 7th July 2023 in Kiambu County under the Theme: Empowering young voices: A Decade of Devolution and the future of Children in Kenya.
Further, there will be various sports activities including a marathon which will be held on 15th August 2023 at the Kipchoge Keino Stadium. This is aimed at showcasing the sports prowess in Uasin Gishu, particularly in athletics, and promoting local talents from the grassroots.
In a bid to support the President’s vision of growing 15 Billion trees by 2032, the Conference steering committee will spearhead a tree-growing exercise aimed at growing one million trees. The tree-growing exercise will be undertaken simultaneously in all 47 Counties.
As part of the Devolution Conference, the Council of Governors will hold the Devolution Warrior Awards. The awards are aimed at recognizing and celebrating the efforts of individuals and institutions that have shown exemplary performance in promoting, protecting and championing devolution in Kenya. These awards are held after every 5 years, with the inaugural awards having been held during the 4th Annual Devolution Conference in 2017.
In addition, the Conference will feature rich panel discussions and break-out sessions that seek to address some of the key challenges affecting various sectors and emerging issues such as peace and security.
You can now register for the Biennial Devolution Conference 2023 by visiting the conference website www.devolutionconference.cog.go.ke or www.cog.go.ke

The Council of Governors (CoG) Agriculture, Livestock and Cooperatives Committee led by the Chairperson, H.E. Rt. Hon. Ken Lusaka on 25th April 2023, held its quarterly meeting at Maanzoni Lodge, Machakos County. The forum sought to deliberate on the policy and legislative reforms in the agriculture and livestock sector and the status of the implementation of donor-funded projects and programmes. The meeting was graced by CoG Whip H.E. Stephen Sang, Vice Chair of the Committee H.E. Mutahi Kahiga, H.E. Muthomi Njuki, and H.E. Nathif Jama. Also in attendance were representatives of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), One Acre Fund and the Coffee Sub-Sector Reforms Standing Committee.
Making his opening remarks, H.E. Stephen Sang commended the steps taken by the Committee to initiate talks with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development to create solutions that will resolve the legislative barriers in the sector, increase productivity and income, especially for small-scale holders, while ensuring market security and equity.
"This forum will provide an opportunity for key players to interact, share ideas, harmonize policy, and establish effective and efficient strategic partnerships that will tackle the policy barriers that have been hindering the growth of this sector," added H.E. Stephen Sang.
Representing the chair of the CoG Agriculture, Livestock and Cooperatives Committee, Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga agreed with his counterpart on the need to join hands with the National Government to streamline the sector and ensure fair returns to farmers across the 32 coffee-producing Counties and ASAL Counties who are heavily dependent on cattle rearing.
"It is evident that there is an attempt by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development to ensure that the coordination of donor-funded projects and programmes in the agriculture and livestock sectors is centralized within the Ministry despite the sector being fully devolved," added H.E. Mutahi Kahiga while addressing members of the press.
As part of the resolutions, the Committee resolved to hold a consultative meeting with all the development partners funding various projects and programmes in the agriculture and livestock sectors across the country to agree on the modalities of its implementation and ensure that the challenges facing farmers are addressed.
Starting the financial year 2023/24, the Committee, in collaboration with Coffee Reforms Standing Committee, will take over the regulatory functions and reforms in the sub-sector as stipulated under the Coffee (General) Regulations, 2019 with a view of enhancing coffee production and productivity. Further, the Committee agreed to hold a retreat between the Excellency Governors and County Executive Committee Members in charge of Agriculture from the 32 coffee-growing Counties and the Agriculture & Food Authority (AFA), Capital Markets Authority (CMA), and Coffee Reforms Standing Committee to review and agree on the practical implementation of the proposed Coffee Bill, 2023.
"It is also good that we invite the Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture and Livestock and the Honorable Senators from the 32 Coffee growing counties to deliberate on the Coffee Bill, 2023 to ensure it is best implemented by the County Governments," added Tharaka Nithi Governor H.E. Muthomi Njuki.
The Committee resolved to engage Parliament and the State Department for Livestock Development to fast-track the enactment of a legal framework to provide for the establishment of a dedicated Livestock Marketing Board. The Board will promote the marketing of livestock and livestock products in the country which is the center of development in Arid and Semi-Arid Counties’ economies.
In addition, the Committee approved the execution of an MoU between the Council of Governors and AGRA to provide a framework for collaboration and partnership in the transformation of the agricultural sector across the 47 County Governments. Lastly, the Committee agreed to engage with One Acre Fund on possible areas of collaboration and partnership in the development of the agricultural sector at the county level.

The Deputy Governors Forum held a consultative meeting in Mombasa County from 18^th -21^st April 2023, to discuss matters related to the Office of the Deputy Governor as well as pertinent issues affecting County Governments. The workshop was opened by the Deputy President H.E. Rigathi Gachagua and graced by H.E. Abdulswamad Shariff Nassir, Governor of Mombasa County, Council of Governors (CoG) Whip H.E. Stephen Sang and the Principal Secretary, Devolution Ms. Teresiah M. Malokwe. Other dignitaries who joined the Deputy Governors meeting were: Chief Administrative Secretary, Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Hon. Joash Maangi; Vice Chairperson, Senate Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations Committee Senator Catherine Mumma; Vice Chairperson of the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) Dr. Amani Komora; CoG CEO Ms. Mary Mwiti, a representative from LAPFUND; and representatives from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development (FCDO).

Speaking during the official opening ceremony, H.E. Rigathi Gachagua urged the Deputy Governors to remain committed to serving all Kenyans and supporting the County Chiefs to ensure smooth running of County affairs.

“Seek to cultivate a good working relationship with your bosses. Rather than competing with them, understand what their vision is and work together with them to ensure full realization as well as the delivery of the manifesto,” noted H.E. the Deputy President.

“The only way to restore the country’s economy is to enhance the National budget, improve Counties own source revenue collection and digitize government services to seal all loopholes for pilferage of public funds,” he added while highlighting the current cash crunch Counties are facing occasioned by delays in disbursements of equitable share by the exchequer.

CoG Whip H.E. Stephen Sang implored the Deputy President, who also Chairs the Intergovernmental Budget and Economic Council (IBEC), to advance the devolution agenda and advocate for timely disbursement of resources to Counties for effective, efficient and sustainable service delivery.

“The Governors and Deputy Governors, through the CoG, will continue to work in collaboration with the Office of the President and the Deputy President to promote, protect and entrench the principles of devolution and all its tenets for the transformative growth of our nation and the development of its people,” said H.E. Stephen Sang.

Similarly, his Mombasa counterpart H.E. Hon. AbdullSwamad Shariff Nassir called upon the National Government to approve a proposal to have financial institutions buy off all approved and confirmed pending bills in the Counties for later repayment to ease the financial strain in the devolved units.

Critical issues discussed during the consultative forum included: strategies to strengthen the office of the Deputy Governor; value based leadership in public service; meaningful partnerships for County Governments; engagements with Parliament; and ongoing programmes and projects under the Kenya Devolution Support Program by FCDO.

While delivering his remarks H.E. Martin Moshisho, Chair, Deputy Governors Forum affirmed the unwavering commitment of his team to work with all state and non-state stakeholders to deliver the promise of devolution to all Kenyans.

“This is an opportunity for us to network and exchange ideas as our Counties settle into the first phase of the implementation of the County Integrated Development Plans. We’ve all had different experiences in the seven and a half months we have been in office and l hope we can share and learn from each other to ensure the effective execution of our mandates,” he added.

As stipulated by the Constitution and the County Governments Act, the Office of the Deputy Governor is key in implementation of the devolved system of governance in Kenya. To this end, it was agreed among others that: the Deputy Governors Forum will work with the Governors to strengthen the office of the Deputy Governor through clear definition of roles and responsibilities; the need to strengthen intergovernmental relations and review the laws that claw back on devolution; the Deputy Governors Executive will meet with the CoG Executive to discuss the participation of the Deputy Governors in the CoG technical committees; the Forum will work with the Senate to push for amendments to the County Governments Act in order to strengthen the office of the Deputy Governor; and the Deputy Governors Forum and the Office of the Deputy President to regularly meet to discuss matters of common interest.

The use of Information, Communication, and Technology (ICT) in government operations has been on the rise globally, and Kenya is no exception. The adoption of technology has not only transformed the way we live, work and communicate but also enhanced the ease of doing business across various sectors. In Kenya, County Governments have made significant strides towards mainstreaming ICT in their functions to improve service delivery and efficiency in their operations.
It is against this backdrop and the need for concerted efforts in driving the digital transformation agenda in the country, that the Council of Governors (CoG) ICT and Knowledge Management Committee held a high-level meeting with key stakeholders in the ICT sector in Mombasa County, on 27th March 2023. The meeting brought together the Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Information, Communication and The Digital Economy – Mr. Eliud Owalo, Governors of the ICT and Knowledge Management Committee, Communications Authority of Kenya (CAK), the ICT Authority, Mastercard Foundation, and Konza Technopolis among other partners. This meeting came as a precursor to the induction of the County Executive Committee Members in charge of ICT held from 28th – 31st March 2023 under the theme 'ICT for improved service delivery at the County level'.
Speaking during the meeting, the CoG ICT and Knowledge Management Committee Chair H.E. Wisley Rotich lauded County Governments for the efforts made so far in integrating ICT into their functions.
“ICT mainstreaming involves automating manual processes with cutting-edge technologies to improve efficiency and effectiveness. We need to leverage ICT to make government services available to all Kenyans across the country and create jobs,” said Governor Rotich.
“The digital platform is the way of tomorrow and those who do not board will remain behind the rest of the world in the next few years. All vital sectors of the government and economies should make synergized efforts to pull together during this digital migration and in the future,” added CS Eliud Owalo.
County Governments have mainstreamed ICT in various functions including financial management, citizen service delivery and data management systems across various sectors such as health, education, and agriculture. In partnership with the National Government, all County Governments are under the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS), a system that automates financial management processes such as budgeting, procurement, accounting, and reporting. The system has been implemented in all counties and has significantly improved financial management, reduced fraud, and enhanced accountability.
The integration of ICT in County Government operations has resulted in improved service delivery to citizens, enhanced transparency, improved decision-making through data analytics and visualization, cost-effectiveness due to reduced paperwork and manual processes, and improved communication and collaboration between County officials and citizens.
Further, County Governments have adopted open data policies that make public data available to citizens. The Council of Governors is currently developing the Open County data portal that will provide data for all the devolved sectors.
Overall, the implementation of ICT has undoubtedly enhanced the delivery of services and citizen engagement in devolved units. However, more needs to be done to ensure that all citizens, especially those in rural areas, can access and benefit from these technologies.