This is how an ideal county government should work

When we voted for the 2010 Constitution, we were not just choosing a set of legal articles. We were endorsing a bold and ambitious vision of decentralised, dignified governance that could deliver real transformation. Chapter 11, which speaks to devolved government, was especially revolutionary. It promised power closer to the people, resources for forgotten regions, and a government that listens rather than lectures.

Yet more than a decade later, many counties remain pale shadows of that constitutional ideal. Budgets are read behind closed doors. Development priorities are often driven by political expediency. Youth and women remain spectators. Service delivery is reduced to pothole patching before a presidential tour or opening medical clinics without staff. ‘City askaris’ still chase market women and destroy their goods. County officials fixate on petty revenue collection while ignoring major opportunities.

But let us imagine differently. Let us envision what a county could be if it fully embraced not just the letter but the spirit of devolution.

In a model county, the Constitution is a living contract. The principles in Article 201 — equity, accountability, and openness — are reflected in every financial decision. Public finance becomes a tool for justice, not enrichment.

A newly elected government in such a county does not start with a generic Five-Year County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP). Instead, it begins with a long-term Vision Document that spans 10 years or more, setting out the county’s aspirations, strategies, and measurable outcomes. The CIDP and Annual Work Plans then become instruments to implement that vision.

This kind of transformational planning demands evidence. The county must partner with institutions like the Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis (KIPPRA), local universities, and even involve diaspora professionals and distinguished experts. Policy must be grounded in data, not guesswork.

Budgeting in a model county is participatory and transparent. The County Treasury acts as a steward of public aspiration. Ward-level forums allow wananchi to discuss priorities, propose projects, and monitor progress. MCAs do not infiltrate public forums to manipulate priorities. Instead, the county has robust structures that safeguard public participation regardless of electoral outcomes.

Development here is not about ribbon cutting. It is strategic, data-informed, and people-centered. A model county must commit to real outcomes, not vague promises. For instance, Nyeri County could aim to reduce poverty from 18.2 per cent to under 5 per cent in seven years. This means lifting over 100,000 people out of poverty, backed by concrete strategies and timelines.

Nyeri could also commit to increasing access to basic public health from the current 86.2 per cent to 100 per cent within five years. The county cannot argue that since the national figure is at 63 per cent, there's no urgency. No mother should die giving life. No child should miss a vaccination due to cost or distance.

Employment and youth training are also essential. The county must track and publish indicators that measure progress in these areas.

To support these goals, a model county would establish an industry in every sub-county — a textiles hub in Othaya, an agri-processing plant in Kieni, a green energy centre in Tetu. These industries could generate 100,000 jobs over seven years by linking Nyeri’s resources with real market needs.

Involving citizens as change agents is equally important. A model county should allocate at least Sh300 million annually to competitively fund viable business ideas from individuals and groups. This is not Hustler Fund-style tokenism that assumes cash alone can fix systemic problems. Instead, the fund would be managed by a semi-autonomous County Development Agency (CDA), staffed by competent professionals recruited on merit.

The CDA would review business proposals, award funding, and provide mentorship and training to ensure sustainability.

Sustainability must also go beyond tree planting campaigns. With a tree cover of 45.17 per cent, the highest in Kenya, Nyeri could lead the green economy. The county could set up a Carbon Agency to monetise this asset. Green jobs in tree nurseries, carbon credits, eco-tourism, and environmental education could be unlocked.

Technology should not be decorative. It should be functional. From AI-enabled agriculture to digitised health records and remote e-learning in ECDE centres, tech must serve people and solve problems. It should not be innovation for its own sake but a tool for inclusion, efficiency, and transformation.

Public works should follow modern project management systems. Social welfare should use biometric IDs to prevent ghost beneficiaries.

Governance must work for the people. The Constitution is a roadmap. Citizens must not only demand services but co-create them. Leaders are stewards, not sovereigns. County assemblies and civil society must move from finger-pointing to evidence-based partnerships.

After the plans and budgets, the work must continue through serious implementation and rigorous tracking. Transparency must be a principle, not a slogan. Every procurement should be public, legal and ethical. County websites and local noticeboards should list all awarded contracts, including names of directors.

Progress reports must be shared every six months, showing achievements versus targets, planned versus actual expenditure. These reports should not gather dust in boardrooms — they should be shared in barazas and town hall meetings where the public can interrogate them.

Counties will not be transformed through speeches and ceremonies. Transformation demands system reform, cultural shifts, and the unleashing of every citizen’s potential.

This is the charge before us: To build counties that honour the promise of devolution. Counties where poverty is being conquered, not managed. Counties where the youth stay, build, and thrive. Counties where governance is driven not by power, but by purpose.

That is what a model county looks like. And with courage, clarity, and collective will, it is possible.