Kenyan Leaders Cite Funding Hurdles at 2025 Devolution Address

Kenya’s political and administrative leaders used the 2025 State of Devolution Address to take stock of the country’s 12-year-old system of devolved government and to highlight persistent financing bottlenecks that are slowing county-level service delivery. Alexander Fierley, the German Embassy’s deputy head of mission, praised devolution for bringing government “closer to the people,” but warned that recurrent delays in disbursing money under the County Government Additional Allocation Bill are inflating project costs and jeopardising local development goals. Principal Secretary for Devolution Michael Loikianu said counties have become “engines of opportunity,” overseeing core sectors such as health and agriculture, while Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale stressed that timely funding is essential for the universal health-care scheme dubbed Taifa Care. Council of Governors representative Mutahi Kahiga called the annual address a moment to renew constitutional commitments and pressed the national treasury to accelerate transfers so counties can meet voter expectations ahead of the next budget cycle.