Vihiga County has reduced its approved workforce by 1,909 positions following a major restructuring of the county government unveiled by Governor Wilberforce Ottichilo, in a move aimed at containing the public wage bill, streamlining operations and improving service delivery.
The changes are contained in Executive Order No. 1 of 2026, issued on Friday, July 24, which the county says marks a significant step in its ongoing public sector reforms.
Speaking at the County Government headquarters in Mbale, Governor Ottichilo said the reforms are intended to eliminate duplication of functions, clarify reporting lines, strengthen accountability and align county operations with constitutional and legal requirements.
The Executive Order establishes a governance framework that seeks to make the county public service leaner, better coordinated and more accountable.
According to the county government, the reforms align the county’s departments, staffing arrangements and functions with the Constitution, the County Governments Act, the Fourth Schedule on devolved functions, public finance laws, the Vihiga County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP) 2023–2027 and recognized county government organizational models.
Vihiga County Cuts Approved Positions
A key feature of the reforms is the reduction of the county’s approved staff establishment from 6,324 positions to 4,415, representing a reduction of 1,909 positions.
The revised establishment excludes staff working under municipalities and the Vihiga County Teaching and Referral Hospital.
“The revised staff establishment is a central pillar of the reform. Based on recommendations of the Public Service Commission, the approved establishment now stands at 4,415 posts, representing a reduction of 1,909 posts from the previous establishment of 6,324 posts, excluding the establishments for municipalities and the Vihiga County Teaching and Referral Hospital,” reads part of the order.
County officials said the move aims to promote fiscal discipline, contain the public wage bill and ensure public resources are deployed efficiently.
Rather than undertaking immediate recruitment, the county will fill vacant positions progressively over the next six years based on service delivery needs, workload, affordability and the availability of required skills.
Before any recruitment is undertaken, departments will be required to submit staffing requests for review by the Directorate of Human Resource Management before they are forwarded to the County Public Service Board through the Office of the County Secretary.
The County Treasury will also have to certify that funds are available before recruitment can proceed.
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Ten Executive Departments
Under the new structure, the County Executive will operate through 10 departments, replacing the previous arrangement.
The departments are:
- Finance and Economic Planning
- Physical Planning, Lands, Housing and Urban Development
- Environment, Water, Natural Resources and Climate Change
- Health Services
- Gender, Youth, Sports, Culture and Social Services
- Education and Technical Vocational Training
- Public Works, Roads and Transport
- Trade, Industry, Cooperatives and Tourism
- Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Blue Economy
- Public Service, Administration and ICT
The Office of the County Attorney and the County Public Service Board will continue providing legal, governance and human resource oversight.
Departments Renamed
The Executive Order also changes the names of several departments to better reflect their responsibilities.
Among the changes:
- Transport and Infrastructure becomes Public Works, Roads and Transport.
- Commerce, Tourism and Cooperatives becomes Trade, Industry, Cooperatives and Tourism.
- Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries becomes Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Blue Economy.
- Public Service and Administration becomes Public Service, Administration and ICT.
The county says the changes are intended to improve functional alignment and make departmental responsibilities easier for residents and stakeholders to understand.
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Skills Audit Planned
The County Public Service Board has been directed to undertake a comprehensive skills audit to determine whether employees possess the competencies required under the new structure.
The exercise will identify skills gaps, match employees to approved positions and recommend measures including retraining, redeployment, retooling or separation where necessary, in line with applicable laws.
The county will also develop career guidelines outlining job descriptions, qualifications, promotion pathways, competency requirements and accountability standards.
Officials said the transition will be implemented in a manner that minimizes disruption to public services.
Deployment of Support Staff
The Executive Order also centralizes several support services across government departments.
Finance officers, accountants and supply chain management officers will be deployed through the Department of Finance and Economic Planning.
ICT officers, human resource officers, administrators, drivers, clerical staff, enforcement officers and security personnel will be deployed through the Department of Public Service, Administration and ICT.
Records management officers will be deployed by the Office of the County Secretary.
The order further recognizes the distinct operational status of the Vihiga County Teaching and Referral Hospital and the municipalities of Vihiga, Kaimosi and Luanda, whose staffing establishments will remain separate from the County Executive to reflect their legal and operational mandates.
Governor Ottichilo said the reforms are designed to improve service delivery in key sectors including health, roads, water, education, agriculture, trade, youth empowerment, environmental conservation and public administration.
He said the county government intends to move beyond restructuring and focus on delivering measurable results for residents.
“Executive Order No. 1 of 2026 and the new organizational structure give us a foundation for an efficient, transparent, inclusive and development-oriented County Government. We must now move from structure to performance, from reform to results, and from intention to measurable improvement in the lives of our people,” the governor said.
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Vihiga County governor Wilberforce Ottichilo during the County Public Accounts Committee. PHOTO/Parliament
