Currently the Kenya devolved government consists of 47 counties representing the initially recognized districts and each one of them forms a county government. Every county government shall further decentralize its services and coordinate its functions in order to efficiently serve the interests of the people of Kenya at the local level.
The counties of Kenya are geographical units envisioned by the 2010 Constitution of Kenya as the units of devolved government. The powers are provided in Articles 191 and 192, and in the fourth schedule of the Constitution of Kenya and the County Governments Act of 2012. The counties are also single member constituencies for the election of members of parliament to the Senate of Kenya and special women members of parliament to the National Assembly of Kenya. As of 2013 general elections, there are 47 counties whose size and boundaries are based on the 47 legally recognised Districts of Kenya. Following the re-organisation of Kenya's national administration, counties were integrated into a new national administration with the national government posting county commissioners to represent it at the counties
County governments were established in 47 counties (based on the 1992 Districts of Kenya), after the scheduled general elections in March 2013. The counties' names are set out in the First Schedule of the Constitution of Kenya
Under the new constitution, Kenya is now divided into 47 counties for administrative purposes. They are grouped below according to the former province of which they were part, with their areas and populations as of the 2009 census
Code
County
Former Province
Area (km2)
Population Census (2009)
Capital
1
Mombasa (County)
Coast
212.5
939,370
Mombasa (City)
2
Kwale
Coast
8,270.3
649,931
Kwale
3
Kilifi
Coast
12,245.9
1,109,735
Kilifi
4
Tana River
Coast
35,375.8
240,075
Hola
5
Lamu
Coast
6,497.7
101,539
Lamu
Code
County
Former Province
Area (km2)
Population Census (2009)
Capital
6
Taita-Taveta
Coast
17,083.9
284,657
Mwatate
7
Garissa
North Eastern
45,720.2
623,060
Garissa
8
Wajir
North Eastern
55,840.6
661,941
Wajir
9
Mandera
North Eastern
25,797.7
1,025,756
Mandera
10
Marsabit
Eastern
66,923.1
291,166
Marsabit
11
Isiolo
Eastern
25,336.1
143,294
Isiolo
12
Meru
Eastern
6,930.1
1,356,301
Meru
13
Tharaka-Nithi
Eastern
2,409.5
365,330
Kathwana
14
Embu
Eastern
2,555.9
516,212
Embu
15
Kitui
Eastern
24,385.1
1,012,709
Kitui
16
Machakos
Eastern
5,952.9
1,098,584
Machakos
17
Makueni
Eastern
8,008.9
884,527
Wote
18
Nyandarua
Central
3,107.7
596,268
Ol Kalou
19
Nyeri
Central
2,361.0
693,558
Nyeri
20
Kirinyaga
Central
1,205.4
528,054
Kerugoya / Kutus
21
Murang'a
Central
2,325.8
942,581
Murang'a
22
Kiambu
Central
2,449.2
1,623,282
Kiambu
23
Turkana
Rift Valley
71,597.8
855,399
Lodwar
24
West Pokot
Rift Valley
8,418.2
512,690
Kapenguria
25
Samburu
Rift Valley
20,182.5
223,947
Maralal
26
Trans-Nzoia
Rift Valley
2,469.9
818,757
Kitale
27
Uasin Gishu
Rift Valley
2,955.3
894,179
Eldoret
28
Elgeyo-Marakwet
Rift Valley
3,049.7
369,998
Iten
Code
County
Former Province
Area (km2)
Population Census (2009)
Capital
29
Nandi
Rift Valley
2,884.5
752,965
Kapsabet
30
Baringo
Rift Valley
11,075.3
555,561
Kabarnet
31
Laikipia
Rift Valley
8,696.1
399,227
Rumuruti
32
Nakuru
Rift Valley
7,509.5
1,603,325
Nakuru
33
Narok
Rift Valley
17,921.2
850,920
Narok
34
Kajiado
Rift Valley
21,292.7
687,312
Kajiado
35
Kericho
Rift Valley
2,454.5
752,396
Kericho
36
Bomet
Rift Valley
1,997.9
730,129
Bomet
37
Kakamega
Western
3,033.8
1,660,651
Kakamega
38
Vihiga
Western
531.3
554,622
Vihiga
39
Bungoma
Western
2,206.9
1,375,063
Bungoma
40
Busia
Western
1,628.4
743,946
Busia
41
Siaya
Nyanza
2,496.1
842,304
Siaya
42
Kisumu
Nyanza
2,009.5
968,909
Kisumu(City)
43
Homa Bay
Nyanza
3,154.7
963,794
Homa Bay
44
Migori
Nyanza
2,586.4
917,170
Migori
45
Kisii
Nyanza
1,317.9
1,152,282
Kisii
46
Nyamira
Nyanza
912.5
598,252
Nyamira
47
Nairobi (County)
Nairobi (Province)
694.9
3,138,369
Nairobi (City)
581,309.0
38,610,097
Nairobi
County governments are responsible for county legislation (outlined in article 185 of the Constitution of Kenya), executive functions (outlined in article 183), functions outlined in the fourth schedule of the constitution of Kenya, functions transferred from the national government through article 187 of the constitution of Kenya, functions agreed upon with other counties under article 189(2) of the constitution
of Kenya, and establishment and staffing of a public service (under article 235 of the Constitution of Kenya) The functions of governments assigned to counties by the fourth schedule of the Constitution of Kenya are:
Agriculture
. Crop and animal husbandry
. Livestock sale yards
. County abattoirs (slaughterhouses)
. Plant and animal disease control
. Fisheries
County health services
. County health facilities and pharmacies
. Ambulance services
. Promotion of primary health care
. Licensing and control of undertakings that sell food to the public
. Veterinary services (excluding regulation of the profession)
. Cemeteries, funeral parlors and crematoria
. Refuse removal, refuse dumps and solid waste disposal
Pollution, Nuisances and Advertising Control
. Control of air pollution, noise pollution, other public nuisances and outdoor advertising
Cultural activities, public entertainment and public amenities
. Betting, casinos and other forms of gambling
. Racing
. Liquor licensing
. Cinemas
. Video shows and hiring
. Libraries
. Museums
. Sports and cultural activities and facilities
. County parks, beaches and recreation facilities
County transport
. County roads
. Street lighting
. Traffic and parking
. Public road transport
. Ferries and harbours, excluding the regulation of international and national shipping and matters related thereto
Animal control and welfare
. Licensing of dogs
. Facilities for the accommodation, care and burial of animals
. Killing of stray pets
Trade development and regulation
. Markets
. Trade licences, excluding regulation of professions
. Fair trading practices
. Local tourism
. Cooperative societies
County planning and development
. Statistics
. Land survey, planning and mapping
. Boundaries and fencing
. Housing
. Electricity and gas reticulation and energy regulation
Education and Childcare
. Pre-primary education, village polytechnics, homecraft centres and childcare facilities
Policy Implementation
. Implementation of specific national government policies on natural resources and environmental conservation
. Soil and water conservation
. Forestry
County public works and services
. Storm water management systems in built-up areas
. Water and sanitation services
Fire fighting services and disaster management
Control of drugs and pornography
Coordination
. Ensuring and co-ordinating the participation of communities and locations in governance at the local level
. Assisting communities and locations to develop the administrative capacity for the effective exercise of the functions and powers and participation in governance at the local level
County Executive Committee
The county governor and the deputy county governor are the chief executive and deputy chief executive of the county, respectively The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission shall not conduct a separate election for the deputy governor but shall declare the running mate of the person who is elected county governor to have been elected as the deputy governor Each county will be run by an executive committee, consisting of:
. A governor, elected directly by the people
. A deputy, elected as running mate of the successful candidate for governorship
. A number of committee members not exceeding a third (or ten where a county assembly has more than 30 members) of the members of the respective county assembly
. A county secretary, nominated by the governor and approved by the county assembly, who will double up as head of the county public service, and secretary to the county executive committee
As a specialty in the democratic system Kenyan law requires governors to have a recognized university degree (it is not necessary for the President of the United States, for example, to hold a degree).
County Assemblies
The counties will each have an assembly whose members are elected from single member constituencies known as wards. There may also be a number of nominated members as is necessary to ensure that neither male nor female members constitute more than two-thirds of the assembly There will also be six nominated members to represent marginalized groups (persons with disabilities, and the youth) and a speaker who will be an ex officio member of the assembly.
County Governors
History
Embu County governor Martin Nyagah Wambora was the first governor to be impeached following allegations of impropriety.
Current List of Governors
The governors listed below took office on 27 March 2013, unless otherwise noted.
County No
Name
Governor
Deputy Governor
Party
1
Mombasa (County)
Hassan Joho
Hazel Ezabel Nyamoki Ogunde
ODM
2
Kwale
Salim Mvurya
Fatuma Mohamed Achani
ODM
3
Kilifi
Amason Kingi
Kenneth Mwakombo Kamto
ODM
4
Tana River
Tuneya Dado
Jire Siyat Mohamed
WDM-K
5
Lamu
Issa Timamy
Erick Kinyua Mugo
UDF
6
Taita-Taveta
John Mruttu
Mary Ndiga Kibuka
ODM
7
Garissa
Nathif Jama Adam
Abdullahi Hussein Ali
WDM-K
8
Wajir
Ahmed Abdullahi Mohamad
Abdulhafid Abdullahi Yarow
ODM
9
Mandera
Ibrahim Roba Ali
Omar Mohamed Maalim
URP
10
Marsabit
Ukur Yattani
Omar Abdi Ali
ODM
11
Isiolo
Godana Doyo
Mohamed Gulleid Abdille
URP
12
Meru
Peter Munya
Raphael Muriungi
APK
13
Tharaka
Samuel Ragwa
Eliud Mate Muriithi
TNA
14
Embu
Martin Wambora
Dorothy Nditi Muchungu[18]
15
Kitui
Julius Malombe
Malonza Peninah
WDM-K
16
Machakos
Alfred Mutua
Benard Muia Tom Kiala
WDM-K
17
Makueni
Kivutha Kibwana
Adelina Ndeto Mwau
MP
18
Nyandarua
Daniel Waithaka
Waithaka Mwangi Kirika
TNA
19
Nyeri
Wamathai Samuel Githaiga
vacant
GNU
20
Kirinyaga
Joseph Ndathi
Julius Muthike Njiri
TNA
21
Murang'a
Mwangi wa Iria
Augustine J Gakure Monyo
TNA
22
Kiambu
William Gitau
Gerald Gakuha Githinji
TNA
County No
Name
Governor
Deputy Governor
Party
23
Turkana
Josphat Nanok
Peter Ekai Lokoel
ODM
24
West Pokot
Simon Kitalei
Titus Lotee
KANU
25
Samburu
Moses Kasaine
Joseph Lemarkat
URP
26
Trans-Nzoia
Patrick Khaemba
Stanley Kiptoo Kenei Tarus
FORD-KENYA
27
Uasin Gishu
Jackson Mandago
Daniel Kiplagat Kiprotich
URP
28
Elgeyo-Marakwet
Alex Tolgos
Gabriel Lagat Kosgey
URP
29
Nandi
Lagat Cleophas
Dominic Kimutai Biwott
URP
30
Baringo
Benjamin Cheboi
Mathew Kipyator Tuitoek
URP
31
Laikipia
Joshua Irungu
Josphat Gitonga Kabugi
TNA
32
Nakuru
Kinuthia Mbugua
Joseph Kibore Rutto
TNA
33
Narok
Samuel ole Tunai
Aruasa Evalyn Chepkirui
URP
34
Kajiado
David ole Nkedianye
Paul Mpute Ntiati
ODM
35
Kericho
Paul Kiprono
Susan Chepkoech Kikwai
URP
36
Bomet
Isaac Ruto
Stephen Kipkoech Mutai
URP
37
Kakamega
Wycliffe Oparanya
Philip Museve Kutima
ODM
38
Vihiga
Moses Akaranga
Caleb Temba Amaswache
PPK
39
Bungoma
Ken Lusaka
Hillary Moywo Chongwony
NFK
40
Busia
Sospeter Ojaamong
Kizito Osore Wangalwa
ODM
41
Siaya
Cornel Rasanga
Wilson Ouma Onyango
ODM
42
Kisumu
Jack Ranguma
Ruth Adhiambo Odinga Busia
ODM
43
Homa Bay
Cyprian Awiti
Hamiliton Onyango Orata
ODM
44
Migori
Zacharia Obado
Nelson Mahanga Mwita
PDP
45
Kisii
James Ongwae
Arthur Maangi Gongera
ODM
County No
Name
Governor
Deputy Governor
Party
46
Nyamira
John Obiero
Amos Kimwomi Nyaribo
ODM
47
Nairobi (County)
Evans Kidero
J. Mwangangi Mueke
ODM