The Senate has initiated amendments to the County Governments Act to clearly define the roles and responsibilities of deputy governors, in a bid to curb persistent wrangles with governors and enhance accountability in county governance.
The changes, proposed by the Senate Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations Committee chaired by Wajir Senator Mohamed Abass, will compel governors to assign specific responsibilities to their deputies, eliminating the current discretionary system that has led to inconsistencies across counties.
“The County Governments Act, Cap 265, be amended to impose a mandatory requirement on the Governor to assign specific responsibilities to the Deputy Governor,” the committee’s report states.
Currently, Section 32(3) of the Act provides that a governor “may assign the deputy governor any other responsibility or portfolio as a member of the county executive committee.” Senators argue that this permissive wording has left some deputies with substantial roles, while others remain idle — despite earning significant salaries.
“Owing to the fact that the Office of the Deputy Governor is financed by public resources, there must be a deliberate assignment of responsibilities to ensure optimal utilisation,” the report adds.
The move stems from a petition by Japheth Makokha, Executive Director of Tripple The Impact CBO, who urged Parliament to close loopholes in the law. Makokha said some governors deliberately sideline their deputies to protect their political influence, even at the expense of service delivery.
“This usually comes at the expense of the citizens who need development brought closer to them through effective and efficient service delivery,” he noted.
The Senate committee, however, cautioned that assigning deputies County Executive Committee (CEC) portfolios as a legal obligation could raise accountability challenges, particularly when deputies are called upon to act as governors under Article 179(5) of the Constitution.
Recent high-profile disputes between governors and their deputies — including Siaya’s William Oduol, Kisii’s Robert Monda, and the earlier impeachment of former Machakos Deputy Governor Bernard Kiala — have underscored the urgency of the reforms.