National government outspends counties on devolved functions
National
By
Daniel Chege
| Nov 13, 2025
The national government continues to spend more money on devolved functions than county governments, a new report by the Katiba Institute has revealed.
According to the report released in September, out of the Sh27 trillion spent on three key devolved sectors—agriculture, health, and transport—between 2013 and 2024, the national government accounted for Sh23.4 trillion, or 87 per cent, while counties spent Sh3.6 trillion, representing 13 per cent.
“The national government’s expenditure on the three functions was 87 per cent, while counties only spent 13 per cent,” read part of the report.
The report further showed that the total shareable revenue increased by 220 per cent, from Sh920 billion in 2013 to Sh2.95 trillion in 2024. Ironically, despite Kenya being in its 12th year of devolution, the national government’s share of expenditure rose by 248 per cent, from Sh730 billion to Sh2.54 trillion.
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In contrast, county governments’ expenditure only increased by 111 per cent, from Sh190 billion in 2013, when devolution was initiated, to Sh400 billion in 2024.
The report compared national and county spending in the three devolved sectors. In agriculture, the national government spent Sh657 billion (77 per cent), while counties spent Sh194 billion (23 per cent).
In transport, which is partially devolved, the national government spent Sh2.74 trillion (88 per cent), while counties spent Sh356 billion (12 per cent).
In health, counties slightly outspent the national government—Sh924 billion (52 per cent) compared to Sh862 billion (48 per cent).
Katiba Institute’s devolution expert, Lawyer Henry Gichana, expressed concern over the national government’s continued dominance in spending on devolved functions.
“We still have a disparity in expenditure for fully devolved functions such as agriculture, health, and transport,” he said.
Gichana urged the government to align its budget with the spirit of devolution, recommending zero-based budgeting—where allocations are based on actual needs rather than routine annual increments.
“There is a need to compare what sectors do against what they are allocated,” he added.
He warned that excessive national spending on devolved functions could lead to duplication of roles and undermine service delivery at the county level.
“The national government is still constructing clinics and markets, which should be county functions,” Gichana said.
Political analyst Professor Gitile Naituli said Kenya has little to show for 12 years of devolution due to corruption and misuse of resources.
“We have devolved corruption and turned counties into employment bureaus for families, friends, and tribesmen,” Naituli said.
“Until we mature enough to deal with corruption, devolution will fail terribly.”
Katiba Institute’s programmes manager, Patricia Joseph, emphasized that access to public information is key to accountability.
“When the public has access to information, they have a tool to hold the government accountable,” she said, noting that many counties still fail to disclose procurement and contract details.
Meanwhile, the Council of Governors (CoG) has threatened to shut down county operations over the National Treasury’s delay in releasing Sh63.6 billion in equitable share revenue meant for October and November 2024.
CoG Chair Ahmed Abdullahi, the Wajir Governor, said the delay violates the law and undermines devolution.
“We demand that the Treasury release the funds owed to counties, or we will have no choice but to completely shut down operations,” Abdullahi said.