The First and Second APRM Country Reviews highlighted several issues that require collective effort of both County and National government in order to improve governance and socio-economic development in Kenya.

In fulfilment of its mandate, the Secretariat proposes the establishment of a County Peer Review Mechanism using the APRM Model. This will provide a basis for County governments to assess themselves on the achievements of their mandate and promote peer learning and experience sharing among Counties.

Rationale and Justification

The establishment of the CPRM is based on the following rationale and justification:

  1. Need to promote good governance practices and facilitate peer learning of best practices for balanced socio-economic development across the country.
  2. Enable County Governments to comply with Articles 174 & 175 of the Constitution on Objects and Principles of Devolved Government which among other things include;
  3. To promote democratic and accountable exercise of power
  4. To foster national unity by recognizing diversity
  5. To give powers of self-governance to the people and enhance the participation of the people in the exercise of the powers of the state and in making decisions that affect them
  6. To recognize the right of communities to manage their own affairs and to further their development
  7. To protect and promote the interests and rights of minorities and marginalized communities
  8. To promote social and economic development and the provision of proximate, easily accessible services throughout Kenya
  9. To ensure equitable sharing of national and local resources throughout Kenya
  10. To facilitate the decentralization of state organs, their functions and services, from the capital of Kenya
  11. To enhance checks and balances and the separation of powers

In addition, CPRM will help County Governments to comply with the following Constitutional Principles:

  1. To be based on democratic principles and the separation of powers
  2. To have reliable sources of revenue to enable them to govern and deliver services effectively
  3. To ensure that no more than two-thirds of the members of representative bodies are of the same gender
  4. Compliance with Council of Governors (COG) own resolution 32 of Fourth Annual Devolution conference of 2017, regarding the imperative that peer reviews be adopted for purposes of promoting good governance and improving service-delivery performance.
  5. Promote linkage between Vision 2030 and county governments’ development agenda.
  6. Enable county governments to comply with legal provisions on public finance management and governance in general.
  7. To enhance public participation in governance.
  8. Tool for tracking implementation of SDGs and Vision 2030 at the county level.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES

  1. Improved Governance -This would be reflected in public finance management, transparency and accountability and transformative leadership.
  2. Improved service delivery performance
  3. Improved management of diversity
  4. Enhanced national unity as integration and cohesion are fostered at the grassroots level.
  5. Reduction of poverty through enhanced household incomes and job creation.
  6. Minimal leakage of public revenue through acts of impropriety.
  7. Improved tracking of the implementation of the objects of devolved government as well as SDGs and Africa Agenda 2063
  8. Enhanced cooperative governance between oversight institutions i.e the two houses of Parliament and County Assemblies on one hand and the County Executives on the other.
  9. Enhanced citizen participation in local governance and development initiatives
  10. Improved understanding and relations between County Governments and the local citizens.

CONCLUSION

Following the implementation of devolution in the country, significant amounts of resources are being transferred to the counties annually. It is, therefore, important that measures be in place to ensure sustained high levels of transparency and accountability in the devolved units.