Devolution and Development in Kenya: An 11-Year Evaluation of Progress and Challenges

Over the past eleven years since the operationalization of the Constitution of Kenya (2010), Kenya’s 47 county governments have made notable progress in improving service delivery and promoting local development. Public perception surveys indicate that approximately 7 in 10 Kenyans report improvements in healthcare delivery under county governments (Kenyanews.go.ke, 2024), while 83% of citizens express support for devolution (Twaweza.org, 2023). Key gains have been recorded in areas such as women’s empowerment, early childhood education, healthcare expansion, agricultural support, water access, and urban infrastructure development (Kenya Law Reform Commission, 2023). Devolution has also significantly advanced women’s leadership and inclusion in governance. Women currently hold 201 elective positions, including a record seven female governors—an increase from three in 2017 (UN Women, 2023). In addition, county governments have increasingly integrated gender perspectives into planning and budgeting processes, thereby enhancing the participation of women and marginalized groups (United Nations Capital Development Fund, 2023). Local initiatives, often supported by development partners such as UN Women, have further strengthened women’s engagement in governance and local development processes