The Senate has invited submissions of memoranda and public hearing on the County Government Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which seeks to provide a definitive role for deputy governors through the amendment of the County Governments Act (Cap. 265) and the Intergovernmental Relations Act (Cap. 265F).
The amendments also seek to clarify the responsibilities of a deputy governor and to foster harmonious relations between governors and deputy governors.
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Additionally, the Bill sponsored by Senate Deputy Speaker Kathuri Murungi seeks to provide for the representation of governors by deputy governors in the meetings of the National and County Government Coordinating Summit.
County Government Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024 public participation
In a notice on March 11, 2025, the Senate Clerk invited interested members of the public to submit their views on the proposal by way of written memoranda.
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“The County Government Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024 (Senate Bills No. 52 of 2024) was read a first time in the Senate on Wednesday, 5th March 2025 and thereafter stood committed to the Standing Committee on Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations for consideration,” the notice reads in part.
“The Committee is required, under Standing order 145(5) of the Senate Standing Orders, to facilitate public participation on the Bill and to consider the views and recommendations of the public when the Committee makes its report to the Senate.”
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The memoranda may be submitted to the Clerk of the Senate, P. O. Box 41842-00100, Nairobi, hand delivered to the Office of the Clerk of the Senate, Main Parliament Buildings, Nairobi or emailed to clerk via senate@parliament.go.ke and copied to senate.devolution@parliament.go.ke on or before Tuesday, 25th March 2025 at 5.00 p.m.
In addition, the Committee will hold a public hearing on the Bill on Thursday, April 10, at 10.00 a.m. at the Mini Chamber, County Hall, Nairobi where members of the public have been welcome to attend the hearing.
The Bill and a digest that summarizes the contents and context of the Bill may be accessed on the Parliament website at http://www.parliament.go.ke/the-senate/house-business/bills.
Deputy governors plead with Senate
In August 2024, deputy governors had lamented to the Senate that their positions have been rendered irrelevant because the law is silent on the duties they are supposed to execute.
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Kamuri (Laikipia County) cited a legal gap regarding their distinct functions, which has forced many to remain inactive until the end of their terms to avoid conflict with governors.
Leading a team of 10 deputy governors before the Senate Devolution Committee, Kamuri revealed that 90 per cent of his members were idle, as they had not been assigned any functions.
He further informed the committee that most counties have budgets for the office of the Governor, while the office of the Deputy Governor has no financial allocation.
“The issue at hand is about dignifying the office of the Deputy Governor. It is not about competing with governors, but about ensuring there are clearly defined roles for the Deputy Governor so that there is uniformity, rather than a few working well with their Governors while the rest are sidelined,” said the Laikipia DG.
At the same time, Kamuri stated that some deputy governors are not invited to County Executive Committee (CEC) meetings, with their roles assigned to CEC members.
The deputy governors, who were appearing before the committee to contribute to the County Governments Amendment Bill 2024 said they want their roles to be backed by financial allocation so that they can effectively discharge their mandate.
They proposed an amendment to the bill requiring deputy governors to attend county executive committee meetings as a member, pursuant to Article 179(2) of the Constitution, and to be given at least three days’ notice of such meetings.
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