The transfer of roles from the national government to counties has helped to simplify planning and implementation of development programmes.
Services are closer to the people and decisions based on localised needs. Through public participation, when developing the CIDP (County Integrated Development Plan), community members can pick an issue that requires urgent attention for it to be included in the county five-year plan.
The community can also follow up on inclusion of these plans in annual budget plans and pursue the option of using their elected representative (Member County Assembly) to push for implementation.
The roles county governments took up are not limited to administration and devolved services.
Counties also come up with policies and legislation to guide the execution of their functions. The County Assemblies are the main actors for this. Note that county policies and legislation should not go against any national law or policy, and should affect only those within their area of jurisdiction.
One challenge that is, however, holding back county governments from achieving their potential is that of personnel.
While structures and systems of governance have been established through department heads, chief officers and support staff, these institutions require adequate human resource that can respond to the local need.
All in all, the opportunity exists for counties to enhance their service delivery by increasing the technical human resource.
One of the objects of the devolution is to promote social and economic development and the provision of proximate, easily accessible services throughout Kenya.
The political goodwill that will further the success of devolution should also be in terms of supporting the recruitment of technical staff to respective county departments to ensure they can reach as many communities as possible.
Washe Kazungu, Land and natural resource management specialist.
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