The Politics of Implementation at County Level: Realizing Devolution in Kenya

Abstract

This chapter examines the challenges that have arisen in the implementation of devolution in Kenya, a major shift in how Kenya is supposed to be governed that was adopted with the approval of the 2010 Constitution. Not surprisingly, like the case has been in other countries attempting devolution in Africa, for example, South Africa and Uganda, there have been problems in realizing the full promise of devolution. Politicians have not been ready to give up old ways of doing things which means that tensions and conflicts have marked the first decade of implementation. These conflicts are evident in various institutional relations, notably between the National Assembly and the Senate as well as between executive branches at both national and county levels. Besides, there are tensions within county governments between governors and member of the county assemblies. These contested relations play out in different sectors where they hinder effective implementation of public policy, the health sector being discussed here to show their detrimental effects. The chapter accepts that carrying out constitutional reforms as extensive as those contained in the 2010 Constitution takes time and ends with a discussion of how the promise of devolution might be more effectively realized.