President William Ruto has called for stronger cooperation between the National and County governments to improve service delivery and ensure devolution benefits Kenyans across the country.
Speaking during the 13th National and County Governments Coordinating Summit at State House, Nairobi, on Tuesday, Ruto said devolution had brought decision-making closer to citizens while strengthening local accountability.
“Devolution has done more than transfer functions from the centre to the counties. It has brought decision-making closer to the people,” he said.
The President said the two levels of government had made progress in healthcare, agriculture, industrialisation and digital systems over the past year.
He cited strengthened healthcare delivery under Social Health Authority reforms, expansion of agricultural value chains, establishment of County Aggregation and Industrial Parks and increased use of digital systems in county operations.
Ruto said the completion of the delineation, unbundling and gazettement of devolved functions would help eliminate duplication and strengthen accountability.
The functions include electricity and gas reticulation and energy regulation, sporting activities and facilities, fisheries, and soil and water conservation.
“Clarity of functions must be matched by resources allocation,” Ruto said, reiterating that resources should follow functions transferred to county governments.
He said recommendations had been developed on the previously identified interim allocation of Sh65.9 billion. The proposals will be submitted to the National Treasury for consideration in the 2027/28 financial year.
The President also directed the Treasury to work with the Intergovernmental Relations Technical Committee to provide resources needed to begin evaluating the performance of both levels of government.
“What is not measured cannot be improved; what is not evaluated cannot be strengthened; and what is not accounted for cannot inspire public confidence,” he said.
Ruto further urged government institutions to embrace Alternative Dispute Resolution in settling intergovernmental disputes, saying disagreements should not disrupt service delivery. “Disagreement between institutions is sometimes inevitable. Dysfunction is not,” he said.
He identified pending bills as another major concern, warning that unpaid government debts were hurting businesses, delaying salaries and putting livelihoods at risk.
For the 2026/27 financial year, counties have been allocated Sh503.5 billion, comprising Sh428 billion in equitable share and Sh75.5 billion in conditional allocations.
Ruto said the government would continue working with counties on healthcare, agriculture, infrastructure, climate action, urban development, digital systems and local economic development.
He outlined five priorities for the Summit, including operationalising intergovernmental sector forums, strengthening dispute resolution, settling pending bills, evaluating government performance and accelerating the transfer of ownership of gazetted assets to counties.
“Our mandates may be distinct, but the citizen we serve is the same; our responsibility is shared; and our objective is one: to improve the lives of the people of Kenya,” he said.