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Counties of Kenya
First-level administrative divisions of Kenya
First-level administrative divisions of Kenya
| Field | Value | |
|---|---|---|
| name | Counties of Kenya | |
| sw | ||
| map | [[File:Map showing Counties underthe new kenyan constitution..gif | 330px]] |
| category | Semi-devolved state | |
| territory | Republic of Kenya | |
| current_number | 47 counties | |
| government | County Government, Government of Kenya | |
| subdivision | Sub-Counties |
sw
The counties of Kenya () are geographical units created by the 2010 Constitution of Kenya as the new units of devolved government. They replaced the previous provincial system. The establishment and executive powers of the counties is provided in Chapter Eleven of the Constitution on devolved government, the Constitution's Fourth Schedule and any other legislation passed by the Senate of Kenya concerning counties. The counties are also single-member constituencies which elect members of the Senate, and special woman members to the National Assembly.
As of 2022, there were 47 counties whose size and boundaries were based on 1992 districts. Following the re-organization of Kenya's national administration, counties were integrated into a new national administration with the national government posting a county commissioner to each county to serve as a collaborative link with national government.
Establishment
County governments were established in all 47 counties after the general elections in March 2013. The counties' names are set out in the First Schedule of the Constitution.
List of counties
Under the new constitution, Kenya is now divided into 47 counties for administrative purposes. They are grouped below according to the former province they were separated from, with their areas and populations as of the 2009 and the 2019 census:
| Code | County | Former | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Province | Area | ||||||||||||||||||
| (km2) | Population | ||||||||||||||||||
| (2009 Census) | Population | ||||||||||||||||||
| (2019 Census) | Capital | Registered Voters | |||||||||||||||||
| (2022 Elections) | Postal Abbreviations | TOTAL | align="right" | 581,309.0 | align="right" | 38,610,997 | align="right" | 47,564,296 | 22,102,532 | ||||||||||
| 001 | [[File:Flag of Mombasa.svg | 20px]] Mombasa | Coast | ||||||||||||||||
| 002 | [[File:Kwale County Flag.svg | 20px]] Kwale | Coast | ||||||||||||||||
| 003 | [[File:Flag of Kilifi County.png | 20px]] Kilifi | Coast | ||||||||||||||||
| 004 | [[File:Flag of Tana River County.gif | 20px]] Tana River | Coast | ||||||||||||||||
| 005 | [[File:Lamu County Flag.png | 20px]] Lamu | Coast | ||||||||||||||||
| 006 | [[File:Flag of Taita Taveta County.png | 20px]] Taita–Taveta | Coast | ||||||||||||||||
| 007 | [[File:Flag of Garissa County.gif | 20px]] Garissa | North Eastern | ||||||||||||||||
| 008 | [[File:Wajir County Flag.svg | 20px]] Wajir | North Eastern | ||||||||||||||||
| 009 | [[File:Flag of Mandera County, Kenya.svg | 20px]] Mandera | North Eastern | ||||||||||||||||
| 010 | [[File:Flag of Marsabit County.png | 20px]] Marsabit | Eastern | ||||||||||||||||
| 11 | [[File:Flag of Isiolo County.gif | 20px]] Isiolo | Eastern | ||||||||||||||||
| 12 | [[File:Flag of Meru County.png | 20px]] Meru | Eastern | ||||||||||||||||
| 13 | [[File:Flag of Tharaka Nithi County.gif | 20px]] Tharaka-Nithi | Eastern | ||||||||||||||||
| 14 | [[File:Flag of Embu County.gif | 20px]] Embu | Eastern | ||||||||||||||||
| 15 | [[File:Flag of Kitui County.gif | 20px]] Kitui | Eastern | ||||||||||||||||
| 16 | [[File:Flag of Machakos County.png | 20px]] Machakos | Eastern | ||||||||||||||||
| 17 | [[File:Flag of Makueni County.gif | 20px]] Makueni | Eastern | ||||||||||||||||
| 18 | [[File:Flag of Nyandarua County.png | 20px]] Nyandarua | Central | ||||||||||||||||
| 19 | [[File:Flag of Nyeri County.gif | 20px]] Nyeri | Central | ||||||||||||||||
| 20 | [[File:Flag of Kirinyaga County.gif | 20px]] Kirinyaga | Central | ||||||||||||||||
| 21 | [[File:Flag of Murang'a County.gif | 20px]] Murang'a | Central | ||||||||||||||||
| 22 | [[File:Kiambu County Flag.svg | 20px]] Kiambu | Central | ||||||||||||||||
| 23 | [[File:Flag of Turkana County.gif | 20px]] Turkana | Rift Valley | ||||||||||||||||
| 24 | [[File:Flag of West Pokot County.png | 20px]] West Pokot | Rift Valley | ||||||||||||||||
| 25 | [[File:Flag of Samburu County.png | 20px]] Samburu | Rift Valley | ||||||||||||||||
| 26 | [[File:Flag of Trans Nzoia County.gif | 20px]] Trans-Nzoia | Rift Valley | ||||||||||||||||
| 27 | [[File:Flag of Uasin Gishu County.gif | 20px]] Uasin Gishu | Rift Valley | ||||||||||||||||
| 28 | [[File:Elgeyo Marakwet Flag.png | 20px]] Elgeyo-Marakwet | Rift Valley | ||||||||||||||||
| 29 | [[File:Contea di Nandi flag.gif | 20px]] Nandi | Rift Valley | ||||||||||||||||
| 30 | [[File:Flag of Baringo County.svg | 20px]] Baringo | Rift Valley | ||||||||||||||||
| 31 | [[File:Flag of Laikipia County.gif | 20px]] Laikipia | Rift Valley | ||||||||||||||||
| 32 | [[File:Flag of Nakuru County.gif | 20px]] Nakuru | Rift Valley | ||||||||||||||||
| 33 | [[File:Flag of Narok County.gif | 20px]] Narok | Rift Valley | ||||||||||||||||
| 34 | [[File:Kajiado Flag.png | 20px]] Kajiado | Rift Valley | ||||||||||||||||
| 35 | [[File:Flag of Kericho County.gif | 20px]] Kericho | Rift Valley | ||||||||||||||||
| 36 | [[File:Flag of Bomet County.png | 20px]] Bomet | Rift Valley | ||||||||||||||||
| 37 | [[File:Flag of Kakamega County.gif | 20px]] Kakamega | Western | ||||||||||||||||
| 38 | [[File:Vihiga County Flag.svg | 20px]] Vihiga | Western | ||||||||||||||||
| 39 | [[File:Flag of Bungoma County.gif | 20px]] Bungoma | Western | ||||||||||||||||
| 40 | [[File:Flag of Busia County.svg | 20px]] Busia | Western | ||||||||||||||||
| 41 | [[File:Flag of Siaya County.png | 20px]] Siaya | Nyanza | ||||||||||||||||
| 42 | [[File:Flag of Kisumu County.png | 20px]] Kisumu | Nyanza | ||||||||||||||||
| 43 | [[File:Flag of Homa Bay County.png | 20px]] Homa Bay | Nyanza | ||||||||||||||||
| 44 | [[File:Flag of Migori County, Kenya.png | 20px]] Migori | Nyanza | ||||||||||||||||
| 45 | [[File:Flag of Kisii County.gif | 20px]] Kisii | Nyanza | ||||||||||||||||
| 46 | [[File:Flag of Nyamira County.gif | 20px]] Nyamira | Nyanza | ||||||||||||||||
| 47 | [[File:Flag of Nairobi County.gif | 20px]] Nairobi | Nairobi |
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County governments
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
- Kishada
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.
- Food distribution and Free services for pregnant mothers
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
- Ice skating
- Sport fishing
- Golf
- Horse racing
- Rugby
- soccer
County transport
- County roads
- Street lighting
- Traffic and parking
- Public road transport
- Ferries and harbors, excluding the regulation of international and national shipping and matters related thereto
- SGR- Madaraka Express (modern railway experience).
Trade development and regulation
- Markets
- Trade licenses, excluding regulation of professions
- Fair trading practices
- Local tourism
- Cooperative societies
County planning and development
- Statistics
- Land surveying, planning and mapping of resources
- Boundaries and fencing
- Housing
- Electricity and gas reticulation and energy regulation
Education and childcare
- Pre-primary education, village polytechnics, homecraft center's and childcare facilities
- Adult education and national exam registration for the same.
Policy implementation
- Implementation of specific national government policies on natural resources and environmental conservation
- Soil and water conservation
- Forestry
County public works and services
- Stormwater management systems in built-up areas
- Water and sanitation services
Fire fighting services and disaster management
Counties are mandated by the 2010 constitution of Kenya to enact legislation and laws that ensures management and controls of fire fighting.
Coordination
- Ensuring and coordinating 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 Uniquely among democracies, Kenyan law requires governors to have a recognised university degree.
County assemblies
The counties 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 marginalised groups (persons with disabilities, and the youth) and a county assembly speaker who will be an ex officio member of the assembly.
References
References
- Article 6, Devolution and access to Services, The 2010 Constitution of Kenya
- Article 98, (1) (a), Membership of the Senate, the 2010 Constitution of Kenya
- Article 97, (1) (b) Membership of the National Assembly, The 2010 Constitution of Kenya
- (22 July 2013). "Kenyan County Commissioners Re-Organised Under New Structure".
- (11 July 2019). "List and Format Used to Number Kenya's 47 Counties".
- Kenya National Bureau of Statistics; and the final report of the [[Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission. IEBC]] as ratified in the National Assembly Constituencies and County Assembly Wards Order, 2012.
- "Home".
- Githinji. (6 August 2019). "Role and Functions of County Governments in Kenya".
- (29 August 2012). "2. County Governments". Kenya Law Reform Commission.
- Kivuva, Elizabeth. (8 June 2023). "World Bank says SGR now ripe for electric trains".
- (29 August 2012). "179. County executive committees". Kenya Law Reform Commission.
- Githinji. (9 March 2020). "Role of Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission".
- (29 August 2012). "180. Election of county governor and deputy county governor". Kenya Law Reform Commission.
- Githinji. (21 March 2019). "Role and Functions of the County Secretary in Kenya".
- Appointment of county secretary, Section 44, County Government Act 2012
- (18 January 2013). "SHITANDA, WANJIRU OUT OVER DEGREES". The Standard.
- Githinji. (14 August 2018). "Functions and Role of the County Assembly in Kenya".
- Githinji. (12 April 2019). "Role of Members of the County Assembly in Kenya".
- Article 177, (1) Membership of a County Assembly, The 2010 Constitution of Kenya.
- Article 177 (c), The 2010 Constitution of Kenya
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