Counties of Kenya

For the defunct county councils of Kenya, see local authorities of Kenya.
Kenyan Counties
Kaunti za Kenya (Swahili)
Category Semi-Devolved State
Location Republic of Kenya
Number 47 Counties
Populations 101,539 (Lamu) – 3,138,369 (Nairobi)
Areas 294.7 km2 (113.8 sq mi) (Mombasa) – 71,597.8 km2 (27,644.1 sq mi) (Turkana)
Government County Government, Government of Kenya
Subdivisions Sub-Counties
Kenya
This article is part of a series on the
politics and government of
Kenya
Foreign relations

The counties of Kenya are geographical units envisioned by the 2010 Constitution of Kenya as the units of devolved government.[1] The powers are provided in Articles 191 and 192, and in the fourth schedule of the Constitution of Kenya and the County Governments Act of 2012. The counties are also single member constituencies for the election of members of parliament to the Senate of Kenya[2] and special women members of parliament to the National Assembly of Kenya.[3] As of 2013 general elections, there are 47 counties whose size and boundaries are based on the 47 legally recognised Districts of Kenya. Following the re-organisation of Kenya's national administration, counties were integrated into a new national administration with the national government posting county commissioners to represent it at the counties.[4]

Establishment

County governments were established in 47 counties (based on the 1992 Districts of Kenya), after the scheduled general elections in March 2013. The counties' names are set out in the First Schedule of the Constitution of Kenya.

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 of which they were part, with their areas and populations as of the 2009 census:[5]

Code County Former Province Area (km2) Population
Census (2009) 		Capital
1 Mombasa (County) Coast 212.5939,370 Mombasa (City)
2 Kwale Coast 8,270.3649,931 Kwale
3 Kilifi Coast 12,245.91,109,735 Kilifi
4 Tana River Coast 35,375.8240,075 Hola
5 Lamu Coast6,497.7101,539 Lamu
6 Taita-Taveta Coast 17,083.9284,657 Mwatate
7 Garissa North Eastern 45,720.2623,060 Garissa
8 Wajir North Eastern 55,840.6661,941 Wajir
9 Mandera North Eastern 25,797.71,025,756 Mandera
10 Marsabit Eastern 66,923.1291,166 Marsabit
11 Isiolo Eastern 25,336.1143,294 Isiolo
12 Meru Eastern 6,930.11,356,301 Meru
13 Tharaka-Nithi Eastern 2,409.5365,330 Kathwana
14 Embu Eastern 2,555.9516,212 Embu
15 Kitui Eastern 24,385.11,012,709 Kitui
16 Machakos Eastern 5,952.91,098,584 Machakos
17 Makueni Eastern 8,008.9884,527 Wote
18 Nyandarua Central 3,107.7596,268 Ol Kalou
19 Nyeri Central 2,361.0693,558 Nyeri
20 Kirinyaga Central 1,205.4528,054 Kerugoya / Kutus
21 Murang'a Central 2,325.8942,581 Murang'a
22 Kiambu Central 2,449.21,623,282 Kiambu
23 Turkana Rift Valley 71,597.8855,399 Lodwar
24 West Pokot Rift Valley 8,418.2512,690 Kapenguria
25 Samburu Rift Valley 20,182.5223,947 Maralal
26 Trans-Nzoia Rift Valley 2,469.9818,757 Kitale
27 Uasin Gishu Rift Valley 2,955.3894,179 Eldoret
28 Elgeyo-Marakwet Rift Valley 3,049.7369,998 Iten
29 Nandi Rift Valley 2,884.5752,965 Kapsabet
30 Baringo Rift Valley 11,075.3555,561 Kabarnet
31 Laikipia Rift Valley 8,696.1399,227 Rumuruti
32 Nakuru Rift Valley 7,509.51,603,325 Nakuru
33 Narok Rift Valley 17,921.2850,920 Narok
34 Kajiado Rift Valley 21,292.7687,312 Kajiado
35 Kericho Rift Valley 2,454.5752,396 Kericho
36 Bomet Rift Valley 1,997.9730,129 Bomet
37 Kakamega Western 3,033.81,660,651 Kakamega
38 Vihiga Western 531.3554,622 Vihiga
39 Bungoma Western 2,206.91,375,063 Bungoma
40 Busia Western 1,628.4743,946 Busia
41 Siaya Nyanza 2,496.1842,304 Siaya
42 Kisumu Nyanza 2,009.5968,909 Kisumu(City)
43 Homa Bay Nyanza 3,154.7963,794 Homa Bay
44 Migori Nyanza 2,586.4917,170 Migori
45 Kisii Nyanza 1,317.91,152,282 Kisii
46 Nyamira Nyanza 912.5598,252 Nyamira
47 Nairobi (County) Nairobi (Province) 694.93,138,369 Nairobi (City)
581,309.038,610,097 Nairobi

Counties of Kenya:

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).[6] The functions of governments assigned to counties by the fourth schedule of the Constitution of Kenya are:[7]

Agriculture

County health services

Pollution, Nuisances and Advertising Control

Cultural activities, public entertainment and public amenities

County transport

Animal control and welfare

Trade development and regulation

County planning and development

Education and Childcare

Policy Implementation

County public works and services

Coordination

County Executive Committee

The county governor and the deputy county governor are the chief executive and deputy chief executive of the county, respectively.[8] 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.[9] Each county will be run by an executive committee, consisting of:

As a specialty in the democratic system Kenyan law requires governors to have a recognized university degree (it is not necessary for the President of the United States, for example, to hold a degree).[11]

County Assemblies

The counties will 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.[12] There will also be six nominated members to represent marginalized groups (persons with disabilities, and the youth) and a speaker who will be an ex officio member of the assembly.[13][14]

County Governors

History

Embu County governor Martin Nyagah Wambora was the first governor to be impeached following allegations of impropriety.[15][16][17]

Current List of Governors

The governors listed below took office on 27 March 2013, unless otherwise noted.

County No Name Governor Deputy GovernorParty
1 Mombasa (County) Hassan Joho Hazel Ezabel Nyamoki OgundeODM
2 Kwale Salim Mvurya Fatuma Mohamed AchaniODM
3 Kilifi Amason Kingi Kenneth Mwakombo KamtoODM
4 Tana River Tuneya Dado Jire Siyat Mohamed WDM-K
5 Lamu Issa Timamy Erick Kinyua Mugo UDF
6 Taita-Taveta John Mruttu Mary Ndiga KibukaODM
7 Garissa Nathif Jama Adam Abdullahi Hussein Ali WDM-K
8 Wajir Ahmed Abdullahi Mohamad Abdulhafid Abdullahi Yarow ODM
9 Mandera Ibrahim Roba Ali Omar Mohamed MaalimURP
10 Marsabit Ukur Yattani Omar Abdi AliODM
11 Isiolo Godana Doyo Mohamed Gulleid AbdilleURP
12 Meru Peter Munya Raphael MuriungiAPK
13 Tharaka Samuel Ragwa Eliud Mate MuriithiTNA
14 Embu Martin Wambora Dorothy Nditi Muchungu[18]
15 Kitui Julius Malombe Malonza PeninahWDM-K
16 Machakos Alfred Mutua Benard Muia Tom KialaWDM-K
17 Makueni Kivutha Kibwana Adelina Ndeto Mwau MP
18 Nyandarua Daniel Waithaka Waithaka Mwangi Kirika TNA
19 Nyeri Nderitu Gachagua Wamathai Samwel GithaigaGNU
20 Kirinyaga Joseph Ndathi Julius Muthike NjiriTNA
21 Murang'a Mwangi wa Iria Augustine J Gakure MonyoTNA
22 Kiambu William Gitau Gerald Gakuha Githinji TNA
23 Turkana Josphat Nanok Peter Ekai LokoelODM
24 West Pokot Simon Kitalei Titus LoteeKANU
25 Samburu Moses Kasaine Joseph LemarkatURP
26 Trans-Nzoia Patrick Khaemba Stanley Kiptoo Kenei TarusFORD-KENYA
27 Uasin Gishu Jackson Mandago Daniel Kiplagat KiprotichURP
28 Elgeyo-Marakwet Alex Tolgos Gabriel Lagat KosgeyURP
29 Nandi Lagat Cleophas Dominic Kimutai Biwott URP
30 Baringo Benjamin Cheboi Mathew Kipyator TuitoekURP
31 Laikipia Joshua Irungu Josphat Gitonga KabugiTNA
32 Nakuru Kinuthia Mbugua Joseph Kibore RuttoTNA
33 Narok Samuel ole Tunai Aruasa Evalyn ChepkiruiURP
34 Kajiado David ole Nkedianye Paul Mpute NtiatiODM
35 Kericho Paul Kiprono Susan Chepkoech KikwaiURP
36 Bomet Isaac Ruto Stephen Kipkoech Mutai URP
37 Kakamega Wycliffe Oparanya Philip Museve KutimaODM
38 Vihiga Moses Akaranga Caleb Temba AmaswachePPK
39 Bungoma Ken Lusaka Hillary Moywo ChongwonyNFK
40 Busia Sospeter Ojaamong Kizito Osore WangalwaODM
41 Siaya Cornel Rasanga Wilson Ouma OnyangoODM
42 Kisumu Jack Ranguma Ruth Adhiambo Odinga BusiaODM
43 Homa Bay Cyprian Awiti Hamiliton Onyango OrataODM
44 Migori Zacharia Obado Nelson Mahanga MwitaPDP
45 Kisii James Ongwae Arthur Maangi GongeraODM
46 Nyamira John Obiero Amos Kimwomi Nyaribo ODM
47 Nairobi (County) Evans Kidero J. Mwangangi MuekeODM

See also

References

  1. ↑ Article 6, Devolution and access to Services, The 2010 Constitution of Kenya
  2. ↑ Article 98, (1) (a), Membership of the Senate, the 2010 Constitution of Kenya
  3. ↑ Article 97, (1) (b) Membership of the National Assembly, The 2010 Constitution of Kenya
  4. ↑ Kenyan County Commissioners Re-Organised Under New Structure, http://allafrica.com/stories/201307230067.html
  5. ↑ Kenya National Bureau of Statistics; and the final report of the IEBC as ratified in the National Assembly Constituencies and County Assembly Wards Order, 2012.
  6. ↑ County Governments Act, 2012
  7. ↑ "2. County Governments". Kenya Law Reform Commission. 29 August 2012.
  8. ↑ "179. County executive committees". Kenya Law Reform Commission. 29 August 2012.
  9. ↑ "180. Election of county governor and deputy county governor". Kenya Law Reform Commission. 29 August 2012.
  10. ↑ Appointment of county secretary, Section 44, County Government Act 2012
  11. ↑ "SHITANDA, WANJIRU OUT OVER DEGREES". The Standard. 18 January 2013. Retrieved 20 January 2013.
  12. ↑ Article 177, (1) Membership of a County Assembly, The 2010 Constitution of Kenya.
  13. ↑ Article 177 (c), The 2010 Constitution of Kenya
  14. ↑
  15. ↑ "Embu governor Martin Wambora found guilty of 3 out of 5 allegations". Retrieved 20 June 2014.
  16. ↑ "County assembly members impeach Embu governor". Retrieved 10 October 2014.
  17. ↑ "Nditi to be acting Embu Governor, court rules". Retrieved 20 June 2014.
  18. ↑ "Embu new governor assures she is equal to the task". Nation Media Group. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Counties of Kenya.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 12/3/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.