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The eighth Devolution Conference, which kicked off in Eldoret yesterday, offers a good opportunity for Kenyans to reflect on the journey they have taken over the last ten years and whether devolution is working for them or not.

When it became the centrepiece of the 2010 Constitution, there were high hopes that devolution would not only revolutionise Kenyan politics but also ensure citizens at the grassroots took charge of their development agenda and how tax money was spent on public goods.

That journey has been a mixed bag. Whereas there have been some visible successes, there are still many challenges that ought to be addressed.

For instance, while devolution of the health sector was meant to bring services closer to the people, the docket has not been handled in the best way possible and has been afflicted by constant strikes, poor supply of drugs to critical institutions and less than satisfactory services offered to patients.

Other sectors like roads have achieved much more with a visible improvement in access roads in many counties, which has gone a long way towards opening up rural producers to urban markets.

Roads are critical to the economy and governors ought to be commended for making an impact in their regard.
However, there is still widespread corruption and favouritism in the sharing of resources, including tenders, and this remains a big blot on the conscience of the country, including on the leadership teams in counties who have not done a satisfying job in entrenching accountability, inclusivity and equity.

Governors ought to know that wananchi are watching them because those who perform well can be considered for bigger roles in the service, including ascending to the presidency. As such, they should treat their responsibilities as a litmus test and their scorecard will determine if they will secure their legacies or end up in ignominy.

As such, governors and their teams ought to use this year’s meeting to take stock of what they have done right and the areas they need to improve on.

They should also consider commissioning local and national surveys to identify what the public thinks of their performance so far and what needs to be prioritised going forward.