Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi during the burial of his brother veteran educationist Mwalimu Daniel Oluoch Wandayi in Ugunja on July 17, 2026/ HANDOUT
Siaya County will be prioritised in the next gazettement of new administrative units as the government moves to improve access to public services, Internal Security Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo has said.
Speaking during the burial of veteran educationist Mwalimu Daniel Oluoch Wandayi, brother to Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi, in Ugunja on Friday, Omollo said the county currently has fewer administrative units than neighbouring counties and requires additional government presence.
"In the next round of gazettement of new administrative units, we will try and give priority to the administrative units in Siaya County so that as the rest of the country is benefiting from government services closer to them, Siaya is not left alone," Omollo said.
He said the government had already begun operationalising newly created administrative units in the county, including Sikalame Division, whose Sub-County Commissioner is expected to report next week.
Omollo added that recruitment of chiefs and assistant chiefs for newly created locations and sub-locations was already underway.
He said discussions had been held with Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, local leaders and the county leadership on increasing the number of administrative units in Siaya.
According to the Principal Secretary, the county has the fewest administrative units compared to neighbouring counties such as Kisumu, Homa Bay and Migori, making it necessary to prioritise it in future expansion.
He said increasing the number of administrative units would bring government services closer to residents and ensure Siaya benefits equally with the rest of the country.
Omollo said the government's broader development agenda was focused on improving service delivery across sectors, including healthcare, education and public administration.
On healthcare, he urged residents to continue registering for the Social Health Authority (SHA), saying the county had recorded a registration rate of about 52 per cent.
He noted that although the figure was encouraging, it remained below neighbouring Kisumu County, where registration had approached 70 per cent.
The Principal Secretary appealed to local leaders and residents to work together to increase enrolment so that more people could benefit from the government's universal healthcare programme.
He said higher registration would ensure the county fully benefits from ongoing investments in the health sector.
Omollo also urged parents to take advantage of the government's increased investment in education by ensuring their children remain in school.
He said education remains the greatest equaliser and called on families not to deny children opportunities created through government funding.
The Principal Secretary noted that Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions have now been established across constituencies to equip young people with practical skills for employment and entrepreneurship.
He said the government was investing heavily in education and skills development as part of efforts to build a productive workforce capable of driving the country's economic growth.
