Devolution, which came into force after the March 4, 2013, general election, was aimed at delivering services closer to Kenyans and ensuring an equitable share of national resources.
As the term of pioneer governors comes to an end in four months, it would be fair to review the achievements of devolution. We should also look at what the future holds for this form of government that has decentralised power, resources and development.
Devolution has faced a number of challenges, including attempts by some institutions to claw it back. Currently, there are close to 45 cases in court where the Council of Governors is fighting attempts to water down devolution.
The National Assembly has passed laws to whittle down the powers of the county governments in service delivery. The latest attempt was by the Parliamentary Budget and Appropriations Committee, which came up with a bill that would have reduced the revenue allocated to the counties, in contravention of Article 203 of the Constitution.
The committee proposed Sh291 billion, which was Sh8 billion shy of what the National Treasury had proposed. The county governments had asked for Sh331 billion. The Senate went ahead to give the counties Sh332 billion.
Revenue sharing and equitable distribution of resources being at the heart of devolution, this reduction would have affected key services, among them building roads.
Despite these challenges, this system, which was designed to move power, resources and responsibilities from the national government to the counties, is working.
For instance, in 2012 there were 8,466 dispensaries, which were ill equipped. In 2017, there are 10,032 well-equipped hospitals, health centres and dispensaries.
To cap it all, Mandera performed its first caesarean delivery at Takaba Subcounty Hospital. This historic first was replicated in Mbeere Subcounty Hospital, Embu. In Siaya we have refurbished our referral hospital and, together with partners, equipped it with an oxygen plant.
Services that hitherto would have forced many patients to travel to Kisumu are now available.
Siaya gives community health workers a monthly stipend, which has greatly reduced infant and maternal mortality indices.
Between 2013 and 2016, some 379km of road have been tarmacked, 35,934km murammed, 19,148km of new road built and 9,572km rehabilitated.
This despite underfunding from the national government. We can also proudly cite the more than 1,000km of road that have improved access in every nook and cranny of our county.
Statistics show that the counties have connected more than 70 per cent of households to piped water, on top of rehabilitating and building dams, water pans and boreholes. The counties have put more than 70,000 hectares ( 172,973 acres) under irrigation, apart from subsidising mechanised means of farming.
In education, the counties have invested heavily in recruitment of Early Childhood Development Education teachers, enrolment of primary school learners and expansion of infrastructure.
The counties also support primary and secondary schools, which are under the national government.
Despite the successes, cases of devolved corruption have dogged the counties. Public resources have been misused through outright theft or misplaced priorities.
This is the challenge as the first chapter of pioneer governors closes and a new dawn breaks in August.