Sh32b windfall for counties as DP roots for transfer of devolved functions

Deputy President Kithure Kindiki chairs the IGRTC pre-summit meeting attended by the Council of Governors and government officials at the Official Residence in Karen, Nairobi, on December 13, 2024. [Wilberforce Okwiri, Standard]

Counties are set to receive Sh32 billion due for November from the National Treasury, the government has announced.

Speaking yesterday after holding an Intergovernmental Budget and Economic Council (IBEC) meeting, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki stated that the State is also “prioritising the disbursement of arrears accruing to the Equalisation Fund.”

He further directed the Intergovernmental Relations Technical Committee (IGRTC) to gazette the transfer of functions that have yet to be relinquished to counties by the national government.

The 25th IBEC pre-Summit meeting was attended by several Cabinet Secretaries as well as Council of Governors Chairperson Ahmed Abdullahi and his deputy Mutahi Kahiga.

The Deputy President announced that the National and County Governments Coordinating Summit will be held on Monday next week, chaired by President William Ruto.

“The IBEC appreciates the expedited action of the National Treasury in disbursing funds to county governments, and notes that an additional Sh32 billion is due to be disbursed to county governments on December 19,” he said.

Prof Kindiki added: “The unbundling and transfer of functions that have already been agreed upon between the national and county governments will be expedited for conclusion and gazettement by December 13.”

At the same time, he directed immediate sectoral engagements to resolve all other pending functions before the IGRTC, while calling for performance assessments for functions already devolved to county governments.

This comes in the wake of sustained pressure from lobby groups and the Council of Governors (CoG), who are demanding the full transfer of devolved services to the counties, even as they accuse the government of “reneging” on its promises to relinquish the services.

“The national government’s continued retention undermines devolution and compromises socio-economic rights,” the Kenya Human Rights Commission recently stated, citing dilapidated healthcare systems in counties exacerbated by the delay in the transfer of services.

According to Kindiki, the unbundling process will include documentation, inspection, valuation, and transfer of county fixed assets, with the State Department of Lands tasked with expediting the valuation process for land and buildings inherited by counties.

He promised to help resolve the current spat between the CoG and the Controller of Budget over the numerous bank accounts operated by each county.

Other issues still under contention include agricultural field extension services and community health services provided by the national government.