NAIROBI, Kenya — Senators are reviewing the County Government Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2025, a proposed law aimed at tightening oversight of county governments and strengthening the implementation of devolution.
The Bill, sponsored by Abdul Mohammed Haji, Senator for Garissa County, seeks to introduce stricter timelines for county executives, reduce administrative inefficiencies, and ensure county governments deliver tangible benefits to citizens.
The Senate Standing Committee on Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations held a session on Monday to examine the proposed legislation, with lawmakers debating its potential impact on county governance.
Debate over the Governor’s accountability
One of the most contentious proposals in the Bill is a provision requiring governors to assent to county assembly Bills within seven days after receiving them.
If the governor fails to sign the Bill within that period, the Speaker of the County Assembly would be empowered to intervene and facilitate its publication, preventing executive delays from blocking legislation.
The proposal initially included a clause suggesting that failure to assent could constitute grounds for removal from office.
However, committee chairperson Abass Sheikh Mohamed warned that such a penalty could conflict with the constitutional threshold for impeachment under the Constitution of Kenya 2010.
“This penalty is too punitive and inconsistent with the constitutional threshold set by Article 181. We should delete this specific removal ground to maintain procedural fairness,” he said.
Limiting county executive appointments
The Bill also proposes capping the number of chief officers in each county at twenty, a move intended to reduce oversized executive teams and ease pressure on county budgets.
Another proposal seeks to align the terms of County Public Service Boards with the five-year electoral cycle to ensure smooth administrative transitions when new county governments take office.
The suggestion has received support from the Council of Governors.
Concerns over implementation timelines
Despite broad support for reforms, several senators raised concerns about practical challenges in implementing some of the provisions.
Margaret Kamar questioned whether counties could realistically form new executive teams within the proposed 21-day timeline, noting the procedural hurdles involved in vetting appointments through county assemblies.
Catherine Mumma also questioned the urgency of some amendments, observing that current laws already allow county legislation to take effect within 14 days.
Meanwhile, Mohamed Chute argued that delays in gazettement should not necessarily prevent laws from becoming operational.
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