15 years of the Constitution: Kenya's journey of promise and paradox

Former President Mwai Kibaki signs the new constitution into law at a public function witnessed by the nation at Uhuru Park, Nairobi. [Courtesy/PPS]

When Kenyans overwhelmingly endorsed the 2010 Constitution, one word carried the hopes of millions, it was devolution. For long neglected regions, it promised roads where dust once ruled, clinics where mothers had despaired, and schools closer to forgotten villages. In many respects, devolution has delivered. Health facilities have mushroomed in rural landscapes, bursaries have reached students who might never have stepped into class, and local leaders have gained platforms once monopolised by the elite.

However, devolution has also revealed its jagged edges. What was meant to cure marginalisation has at times entrenched local fiefdoms, where governors are kings and county assemblies serve as their loyal courtiers. Billions are lost to ghost projects, inflated tenders, and politics that often places tribe above service. The dream of devolution remains alive, but its promise still dances on a knife’s edge between empowerment and plunder.