Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has dismissed any fears that the government is working to undermine county governments affirming steady support to devolution.
Speaking today during the 27th Intergovernmental Budget and Economic Council (IBEC) meeting held at his Karen residence, Prof. Kindiki reaffirmed the national government’s commitment to upholding and strengthening devolution as enshrined in the Constitution.
“No one has the capacity to roll back and as a government we have no intention to frustrate devolution but fully support it. It is so strong that no one has the ability to claw back the gains already made in its implementation,” noted Kindiki.
He assured that counties will continue receiving their equitable share of national revenue without delay.
He further noted that all county allocations have been disbursed except for the June tranche, which he said will be released on time.
“We have done well in the disbursement of allocations to the counties. There are no pending disbursements apart from June’s, and even that will be released as scheduled,” he added.
This assurance comes at a time when several county governments have expressed concern over delays in funding, which they say hampers service delivery.
Kindiki’s remarks were a timely intervention aimed at calming tensions and reinforcing trust between the two levels of government.
The DP however emphasized that the structure of Kenya’s governance system is not meant to create a rivalry between the national and county governments, but to foster cooperation.
He lamented that the constitution provides for one government, but with executive authority shared between the two levels.
“These two levels shouldn’t compete against each other but instead, they should cooperate and work seamlessly to move the country forward,” said Kindiki.
He at the same time acknowledged that disputes and differences are inevitable in any system of governance.
He was quick to point out that even countries with more mature systems, like Australia which has practiced devolution for over 180 years still grapple with issues such as revenue allocation and jurisdictional disputes.
The Deputy President took a measured and optimistic view of Kenya’s journey with devolution terming them as growing pains in an evolving system.
“For a 15-year-old system like ours, we have done well and we will continue to improve and quickly resolve differences for better service delivery to the people,” he added.
His comments signal a readiness by the national government to listen to county governments concerns, learn from international best practices, and strengthen mechanisms that ensure efficient collaboration between the two levels of governance.
Kindiki’s remarks come at a time when devolution is under intense public scrutiny.
Counties have often accused the national government of delaying funds and undermining their authority through overlapping roles and unclear mandates.
In turn, the national government has occasionally expressed concerns about mismanagement and underperformance at the county level.
Despite that devolution has brought government services closer to the people by improving healthcare, infrastructure, and local economic development in many regions.
The assurance by the Deputy President may thus be seen as part of a broader strategy to stabilize relations and enhance mutual trust between the national and county governments.
The second in command promised that devolution remains a key pillar in Kenya’s governance noting that the national government recognizes the need for continuous dialogue and reform to ensure that devolution delivers its intended benefits to all Kenyans.
