Machakos Deputy Governor Francis Mwangangi. Photo Courtesy. 
By Andrew Mbuva
Machakos Deputy Governor Francis Mwangangi has made a passionate call for a fairer and more equitable distribution of national resources, urging the government to significantly increase funding to devolved units.
Speaking during the Council of Governors (CoG) State of Devolution Address in Nairobi on Thursday, Mwangangi decried the current allocation of only KSh 400 billion to counties out of the national KSh 4.2 trillion budget, terming it as a clear sign that the country is yet to take devolution seriously.
“In a country with a budget of 4.2 trillion, we cannot be talking of only 400 billion going to devolved units. That is a very meager allocation and it shows that as a country we are not serious with devolution,” said the Deputy Governor.
Mwangangi argued that for Kenya to realize equity, fairness, and meaningful development, the national budget must be shared equally between the national and county governments.
He emphasized that more funds to counties would ensure grassroots development, enabling citizens to benefit from improved infrastructure, quality education, and reliable water supply.
“If we want this country to grow and realize equity in resource distribution, it will be good that this 4.2 trillion is shared equally between the National Government and the County Governments,” he said.
He further pointed out that despite counties doing their best within the limited means available, they are still heavily constrained by underfunding. “It is true our County Governments are trying where possible to work for the people, but much more could be done if they were to get a good chunk of allocation.”
Mwangangi also criticized the National Government’s retention of the bulk of the national budget, saying the imbalance is unjustified and counterproductive. “The budget that currently remains with the National Government is too huge for no good reason.”
He underscored that devolution remains Kenya’s most viable pathway to economic transformation, adding that empowering counties could turn Kenya into Africa’s largest and most competitive economy.
“Devolution is the only way to grow the country’s economy to a point where it is the largest economy in Africa and an economy that can be considered worldwide,” he stated.
The Deputy Governor called for a return to the economic vision espoused by former President Mwai Kibaki and his then Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka, praising their leadership for expanding the economy, creating jobs, and investing in sectors like agriculture, health, and water.
“We need to borrow what former President Mwai Kibaki and his Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka did to the economy so that we are able to provide jobs for our youths, grow agriculture, our health systems and ensure our people get good supply of water,” he added.
His remarks come at a time when many counties are grappling with stalled projects, unpaid bills, and service delivery challenges due to late disbursements and insufficient funding from the National Treasury.
County leaders have continued to push for more autonomy and a greater share of the national cake to meet their development goals and serve the public better.
