The 2010 Constitution fundamentally changed how Kenya is governed. By creating county governments, Kenyans chose to bring resources, services and decision-making closer to the people. Devolution has transformed lives across the country by expanding access to healthcare, improving local development planning and increasing citizen participation in governance.
Yet devolution remains a work in progress. Counties continue to face challenges related to funding, accountability, service delivery and institutional capacity.
As Senator, one of my foremost responsibilities will be to protect and strengthen devolution so that it continues to serve the people of Busia County.
The Senate's Constitutional Responsibility
The Senate exists primarily to protect the interests of counties and their governments. Its responsibilities include:
- Protecting devolution
- Determining the allocation of national revenue to counties
- Exercising oversight over county governments
- Legislating on matters affecting counties
- Safeguarding county interests at the national level
A strong Senate is essential to the success of devolution. A strong Senator is essential to ensuring Busia's voice is heard within that process.
Fighting for Fair and Adequate County Funding
County governments cannot deliver quality services without adequate resources. Healthcare, agriculture, early childhood education, water services and other devolved functions depend heavily on county funding.
I will advocate for:
- Fair revenue sharing among counties
- Timely disbursement of county allocations
- Protection of county resources
- Sustainable financing for devolved functions
- Greater fiscal predictability for county governments
Devolution cannot succeed if counties are continually expected to do more with less.
Accountability Must Accompany Resources
Protecting devolution does not mean defending inefficiency or misuse of public funds. Kenyans did not vote for devolution simply to move corruption from one level of government to another. Citizens deserve value for every public shilling allocated to counties.
I will support:
- Strong oversight mechanisms
- Implementation of audit recommendations
- Transparent public finance management
- Responsible procurement practices
- Greater citizen access to information
Strengthening Service Delivery
The ultimate measure of devolution is not how much money counties receive. It is whether citizens experience better services. A successful county government should deliver better healthcare, improved agricultural support, stronger local infrastructure, efficient public services and greater economic opportunity.
Protecting the Independence of Counties
The Constitution envisioned counties as partners in governance — not subordinates of the national government. I will defend the constitutional autonomy of county governments and resist any attempts to undermine or reverse the gains of devolution.
Inter-governmental cooperation must be guided by respect for constitutional boundaries and genuine partnership.