Why Ruto should shun centralised system and fully support devolution

President William Ruto during the National Drama and Film Festival state concert at Nakuru State House on April 16, 2025. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

Kenyans enacted chapter eleven of the Constitution establishing devolution against the backdrop of a national government that allocated resources based on political considerations. Upon the establishment of the 47 county governments, the Constitution empowered the people with the authority to govern themselves and participate in decision-making processes on matters that affect them directly without acquiescing the Nairobi mandarins that thrive in controlling resources for political and self-aggrandisement reasons. In summary, devolution remains the biggest achievement under the current constitutional dispensation.

Decades down the line, it's disheartening that devolution is implicitly sabotaged by the powers that be in Nairobi. Governors have lamented about insufficient disbursement of funds to county governments. The most compelling lamentation came from Kisumu Governor Anyang' Nyong'o who accused President William Ruto of taking the country "back to pre-devolution times of the Nyayo era." The ODM Secretary General, Senator Edwin Sifuna, compounded these lamentations by accusing the President of being an "enemy of devolution."