The Council of Governors (CoG) has released its annual State of Devolution report, highlighting notable progress in key sectors such as health, agriculture, infrastructure, and disaster management.
However, the governors warned that erratic support from the national government continues to undermine the effective delivery of critical services at the county level.
Speaking during the presentation of the scorecard, CoG Chair and Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi urged for enhanced coordination and strengthened investments to protect and build on the gains made under devolution.“Inconsistent disbursements, unresolved arrears, and stalled donor funding threaten to reverse hard-won progress,” Governor Abdullahi said.
According to the report, counties are projecting a record KSh 600.6 billion in total revenue for the 2024/25 fiscal year, with own-source revenue collections rising by 11 percent compared to the previous year.
In the healthcare sector, over 24 million Kenyans have been registered under the new Social Health Insurance Authority (SHIA), enabling access to more than 9,300 public health facilities nationwide.
The report also noted that 226,000 healthcare workers and over 107,000 community health promoters are currently in service, while more than 8,200 staff under the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) program are being transitioned to permanent and pensionable terms.
On the agriculture front, counties reported a major boost in avocado and sugarcane production, with over 102,000 farmers trained and more than 308,000 jobs created—90 percent of them in the private sector. The sector is also said to have created over 308,000 new jobs, 90 percent in the private sector.
Counties also reported a sharp decline in disaster impact, with fatalities down 29 percent injuries reduced by 64 percent, and the number of displaced households dropping.
Infrastructure and digitization made strong strides: over 12,000 km of roads were constructed, land digitization expanded in several counties, and over 140 renewable energy projects were rolled out.
But even with these wins, the governors say there are several challenges, such as delays in fund disbursement, unpaid claims in health facilities, and disrupted donor funding.
The Council of Governors now want urgent national action, including timely disbursements from Treasury, resolution of NHIF arrears, and stronger intergovernmental coordination.