This year’s Devolution Conference took place in Homa Bay County, on the shores of Lake Victoria, with the striking backdrop of the Asego Hills. Being the 9th edition of the biennial conference, it was the first time the county hosted the event, and its development milestones stood as a testament to the power of devolution.

Over the past twelve years, counties have received Kshs. 4 trillion in disbursements.. This has been particularly transformative for communities that were previously marginalised or politically alienated under the centralised system of government.

A running theme throughout the conference was the role of technology as an enabler of devolution. Successful counties recognised as models had embraced digital transformation. Murang’a County, under the leadership of Governor Irungu Kang’ata, was cited as a benchmark for leveraging technology to enhance service delivery, particularly through its Health Information Management System. Other counties have also made significant progress. 

For example, Nandi County initiated its digitalisation drive in April with the Tibabu system, starting in primary healthcare facilities and expanding to Level 4 facilities, with plans to implement it in Level 5 hospitals next. Implementation has already reached 60 per cent in primary healthcare facilities. Kisumu County has digitised 40 per cent of its health facilities, although these systems remain siloed without an interoperability layer.

Forward-looking counties are working to integrate digital solutions into everyday service delivery. While change management can be challenging, bureaucratic processes can be slow, and technology as a governance partner remains the way forward. 

The 2023/24 Kenya Housing Survey revealed that 93.8 per cent of households own a mobile phone, providing a robust channel to deliver services at the tap of a screen or through USSD codes.

However, counties face a complex reality of limited budgets and competing priorities. The solution lies not in abandoning public mandate but in leveraging private sector expertise and capital to deliver essential services. These partnerships work because they are built for scale, accountability, and inclusivity, with citizens at the heart of every solution. Public-private partnerships can accelerate service delivery, enhance transparency, and strengthen trust between government and citizens. 

Homa Bay’s Daktari Smart telemedicine programme, supported by the M-Pesa Foundation, is a powerful example. Using technology such as phone calls, mobile apps, or online platforms, the programme enables patients to consult doctors, receive diagnoses, and access treatment without being physically present at a hospital. Operating in Suba South, it reaches vulnerable youth up to 21 years in areas with a high malaria burden. 

In the long term, counties must strengthen their Own Source Revenue (OSR) to ensure fiscal stability, particularly as the national budget faces pressure from debt obligations. Digitised revenue collection systems that offer end-to-end visibility, track expenditure, and prevent leakages are essential. 

Makueni County, for example, partnered with Safaricom to implement the Integrated County Revenue Management System (ICRMS). This secure, mobile-first platform integrates M-Pesa for easy payment of market fees, utilities, and licences. This system, now adopted in 11 other counties, has eliminated revenue leakages, improved compliance, and given treasuries real-time data for better planning.

Devolution was designed to bring the government closer to the people. Technology, when combined with strong partnerships, can accelerate that vision, ensuring that no county is left behind in Kenya’s journey toward equitable and inclusive growth.