Kenyan Government Seeks Sh2.1 Billion to Operationalize 1,105 Administrative Units

Nairobi, The Gulf Observer: Kenyan government plans to allocate Sh2.1 billion to operationalize 1,105 administrative units across the country, Members of Parliament were informed on Thursday.

Appearing before the National Assembly Committee on Administration and Internal Security, Internal Security Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo revealed that while the state department had been allocated Sh666 million, additional funds were required to fully operationalise all the units.

The government aims to operationalise 24 sub-counties, 88 divisions, 318 locations, and 675 sub-locations.

“In terms of budgets, for us to do the implementation, we need an additional Sh2.1 billion. We were only given Sh666 million in the supplementary,” Omollo told the committee, which is chaired by Narok West MP Gabriel Tongoyo.

“This money will enable us to implement what has been gazetted as well as enhance the Authority to Incur Expenditure for our field officers.”

Omollo further explained that while no formal policy currently exists for the operationalisation of administrative units, the ministry has drafted a Cabinet Memorandum on the Guidelines for the Creation of New Administrative Units, which is set to be tabled before the Cabinet for approval.

“Following the promulgation of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010, and the enactment of the National Government Coordination Act, 2013, it is a requirement that administrative units are gazetted before being operationalised,” Omollo stated.

“This ensures that all groups, including marginalised communities, have access to government services.”

However, lawmakers expressed concerns over the slow pace of operationalising the new units, some of which, they noted, have remained non-functional since the promulgation of the 2010 Constitution.

Committee Chair Gabriel Tongoyo emphasized the need for the ministry to ensure that these units become fully functional to enhance service delivery.

Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma also raised concerns, stating that some administrative units in his constituency had been gazetted over a decade ago but were yet to be operationalised.

The government is expected to seek additional funding to facilitate the implementation of the gazetted administrative units and ensure equitable access to services across the country.