NAIROBI, Kenya — President William Ruto has pledged to grant financial autonomy to Kenya’s county assemblies, marking a significant step in resolving a protracted power struggle between governors and Members of County Assemblies (MCAs).
Addressing ward representatives from Kisumu County at State House, the President announced that he will, in the coming weeks, sign into law a bill that will give county assemblies control over their budgets—freeing them from the financial grip of county executives.
“In the next couple of weeks, I will be signing into law legislation that will provide for the financial independence of county assemblies,” Ruto said, drawing applause from the MCAs. “This will enable them to manage their budgets and county affairs independently from the executive, just as is the case at the national level.”
The move is a major win for the County Assemblies Forum (CAF), which has been lobbying for changes to the Intergovernmental Relations Bill, 2024 to grant assemblies financial autonomy.
The current structure requires county assemblies to seek approval from the Finance County Executive Committee Member (CEC) for access to funds, a process MCAs say undermines their oversight mandate.
“We cannot access our funds unless the executive allows it. Yet our budget is mostly operational, not for development projects. That is the autonomy we’re asking for,” said CAF Secretary General Mwaura Chege during a recent meeting with MPs from the Regional Development Committee.
CAF, which represents all 47 county assemblies, wants allocations to be disbursed directly from the National Treasury, bypassing governors and finance CECs.
MCAs argue that relying on the executive for funds creates a conflict of interest, since they are tasked with overseeing the same office.
Currently, county assemblies are forced to obtain approval from the Finance CEC for all financial transactions, including basic operational costs like salaries and allowances.
In practice, this has left MCAs at the mercy of governors—unable to function without their consent.
While the Council of Governors (CoG) has fiercely opposed the push for financial independence, warning that it could undermine accountability and disrupt financial management, MCAs and their allies in both the Senate and National Assembly argue the opposite.
“The reliance on the county executives for finances occasions delays and other conflicts,” said Senator Kathuri Murungi, who sponsored the County Public Finance Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2023. “The financial autonomy of county assemblies is lacking as they rely on the whims and caprices of their respective county executives.”
The bill introduced by Murungi seeks to establish a legal mechanism through which assemblies can manage their funds independently, including appointing their own accounting officers.
Ruto’s endorsement now significantly boosts the MCAs’ case, signalling a likely shift in county power dynamics as the legislation nears enactment.
If passed into law and fully implemented, the new framework would free MCAs from routine bureaucratic bottlenecks, empower them to carry out oversight duties without fear of reprisal, and strengthen the principle of separation of powers at the county level.
