Financing devolution is not political charity, it's a constitutional imperative

Council of Governors before the Senate Finance and Budget Committee to deliberate on the proposed Fourth Basis for sharing revenue among counties in Nairobi, on April 3, 2025. [File, Standard]

Sustainable implementation of the devolved system of government is dependent on equitable, predictable and timely resourcing. The Constitution provides for equitable sharing of nationally raised revenue (Article 202 (1)). Article 203 further enumerates the criteria for equitable sharing including functions allocated to county governments, fiscal capacity and efficiency, developmental needs and economic disparities within and among Counties. Thirteen years since the advent of devolution, county governments have been allocated Sh4.13 trillion as equitable share. The impact of these funds? A responsive governance system that brings services closer to the people and delivers tangible impact for the ordinary citizens, the challenges notwithstanding.