President William Ruto on Wednesday ordered a government committee to finally settle a 12-year dispute over the division of responsibilities between Kenya’s national government and its 47 counties, aiming to end overlapping roles that have long fueled tensions.
Speaking at a summit of national and county leaders at State House in Nairobi, Ruto directed the Intergovernmental Relations Technical Committee to complete the mapping and transfer of all pending devolved functions.
“This long-overdue clarification will eliminate historical ambiguities, duplication and institutional friction that have slowed service delivery and created conflict over responsibilities,” Ruto said.
Kenya’s 2010 constitution handed counties major functions including health care, agriculture, roads and early childhood education, but many powers have remained with national ministries, triggering repeated clashes with governors.
Health remains the clearest flashpoint: counties manage local hospitals and clinics, yet the national Ministry of Health controls policy, major referral hospitals and procurement of essential medicines. Similar overlaps persist in water, transport, agriculture, trade and environmental protection.
Ruto acknowledged the delays and called on Parliament to urgently pass amendments to the Intergovernmental Relations Act that would give legal backing to the committee’s work and to the Council of Governors secretariat.
Despite the disputes, the president praised recent cooperation, pointing to the smooth nationwide rollout of his Affordable Housing Program and counties’ adoption of the new Social Health Authority system.
“Counties have risen to the occasion,” Ruto said, citing their expansion of agricultural value chains, establishment of aggregation centers and industrial parks, and shift to digital revenue and planning systems.
Several governors who attended the summit welcomed the directive but said they would watch closely to ensure the transfers actually happen.
The move is the strongest push yet by Ruto’s administration to complete the devolution process — a central promise of the 2010 constitution that has repeatedly stumbled over funding shortages and turf battles between Nairobi and the counties.
