No one will care who is president if devolution delivers

The upcoming devolution conference in Eldoret is a perfect opportunity for Kenya to reflect on the real intent of devolution and what it has achieved.

The agitation towards devolved governments was always about decentralisation of state power and resources and for real and responsive authorities closer to the people. Devolved governments were meant to put people at the centre of decision-making through public participation forums and representation through the county assembly.

Devolution ideals can be traced back to 507 B.C when Athenian leaders in Greece introduced a system called ‘demokratia’ translated loosely as a ‘rule by the people’ and which was the birth of modern forms of democracy.

Devolution was thus an opportunity to democratise further the institutions of governance, aptly captured in Chapter 11 in the 2010 Constitution as: to promote democratic and accountable exercise of power, to foster national unity by recognising diversity, to give powers of self-governance to the people and enhance the participation of the people in the exercise of the powers of the State and in making decisions affecting them.

More objectives include need to recognise the right of communities to manage their own affairs and further their development, protect and promote the interests and rights of minorities and marginalised communities and to promote social and economic development and the provision of proximate, easily accessible services throughout Kenya.

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Today, I can say in the 13 years of devolution we have seen mercy drops of what devolution should look like. We are yet to see the real showers. Yes, hospitals have been built, ECD centres improved and some areas opened up through feeder roads. We have also seen counties invest heavily in education.

But we have also witnessed insane levels of corruption and outright profligacy. We are yet to see the philosophical underpinning of devolution through a revolution of how people socialise with government.

Former Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana came close through his village-based public participation model that saw over 120,000 people give views and endorse the County Integrated Development Plan. Their involvement did not end there; they were also put into committees that track implementation of approved projects. The real benefit of devolution will be in improvement of household income and access to quality services such as health and education.

Devolved units are a perfect point to initiate production and marketing of locally produced innovations for job creation. This way, county governments become a solution to the winner-take it all system by making it so effective that no one cares who is President.

-The writer is anchor at Radio Maisha