Deputy Governors seek constitutional changes to have clear mandates
The Deputy Governors’ Caucus, led by Laikipia Deputy Governor Reuben Kamuri, said their offices lack defined functions, leaving them sidelined in the running of counties.
Deputy Governors from all 47 counties have petitioned the Senate to allocate 40 per cent of the county governor’s budget to their offices and to formally entrench their roles in the Constitution, arguing that the current legal framework renders them powerless despite being elected alongside governors.
Meeting with the Senate’s Standing Committee on Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations in Nakuru County, the Deputy Governors’ Caucus, led by Laikipia Deputy Governor Reuben Kamuri, said their offices lack defined functions, leaving them sidelined in the running of counties.
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They urged MPs to amend Section 32 of the County Government Act to clearly outline their responsibilities and grant them authority to participate in decision-making.
“The deputy governors are more of personal assistants to the governors. We are not involved in the running of the counties,” Kamuri lamented, stressing the need to dignify the office and allow deputies to discharge their mandate effectively.
The caucus called for a model similar to the national level, where the Deputy President chairs the Intergovernmental Budget and Economic Council (IBEC), suggesting that deputy governors could also chair specific programmes at the county level.
They insisted that such reforms would foster better governance and accountability.
The senators present, led by Committee Chairperson Mohamed Abass, expressed concern over the limited role of deputy governors and acknowledged the need for legal reforms.
Overlapping roles
However, they advised caution to avoid overlap and conflicts with governors, recommending a clear division of duties to support functional and cooperative governance.
Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka urged the deputies to provide examples from other regions that successfully manage similar structures.
“Research on what others have done and then propose a well-researched formula for budget allocation and funding for the deputy governor's office,” he said.
The push for recognition comes amid growing concerns that the deputy governors, though elected, remain largely ceremonial, with little involvement in county administration. They now look to the Senate to act on their proposals and correct what they see as a constitutional oversight.
Many counties have seen strained relationships between governors and their deputies, with some deputies being left out of county affairs.
A new Bill before the Senate seeks to define the roles of deputy governors to ensure they are actively involved in county administration, preventing governors from sidelining them in leadership and decision-making.
The County Government Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, aims to provide clear responsibilities for deputy governors, promoting smoother working relationships with governors.
"This Bill seeks to introduce definitive roles for the deputy governor with a bid to clarify and streamline responsibilities of the office and therefore also foster harmonious relations with the office of the governor in a county," the Bill states.
Sponsored by Meru Senator Murungi Kathuri, the Senate Deputy Speaker, the Bill has been published and will be introduced in the House for its first reading.
If passed, it will require governors to assign deputy governors to specific executive positions in the county government.
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