Former Bungoma governor blames national govt for stalling devolution
By Kiprono Keileb, August 7, 2025Former Bungoma Governor Wycliffe Wangamati has weighed in on the ongoing conversation around devolution and public finance management, saying funds allocated to counties are more transparent and traceable than those spent at the national level.
Speaking during a political talk show aired by a local television station on Thursday, August 7, 2025, Wangamati said residents are more empowered to monitor how county governments spend money, making localised development more accountable.
“A shilling spent at a national level and a shilling spent at the county level a shilling spent at county level is more accountable. People can see, understand and question how that money is being spent,” he said.
Wangamati further argued that the national government should relinquish control of certain infrastructure institutions to the counties to boost development and enhance service delivery at the grassroots.
“Bodies like KeRRA and KURA should be moved to counties. KeRRA has a budget of about KSh15 billion and KURA KSh26 billion; this money should be pushed to counties,” he stated.
The former county chief expressed concern that despite constitutional commitments to devolution, key services and resources are still being held at the centre, making counties overly dependent on Nairobi.
“We are struggling in terms of devolving more resources and services to the counties. It may be a question of leadership or commitment by the national government on devolution, or people around the national government cabinet secretaries, principal secretaries, or even MPs,” Wangamati said.
He insisted that genuine development and accountability can only be achieved when resources follow functions and when decision-making is truly decentralised. His remarks come at a time when devolution advocates are increasingly calling for increased county allocations and institutional reforms to strengthen governance at the grassroots.
2027 election
Turning to politics, Wangamati, who served as Bungoma Governor from 2017 to 2022, left the door open for a potential comeback in the 2027 general election.
“We have two years to the election. During my five years as a governor in Bungoma, I have a clear track record. People know what I did, and they understand this. People know that I did roads, hospitals, etc. So, at the right time, I will make my decision, but chances are very high that I will run because there is a vacuum,” he said.
Wangamati’s remarks suggest a growing dissatisfaction with current leadership in Bungoma and a readiness to fill what he perceives as a gap in delivery and vision.
His comments are likely to stir the political landscape in Bungoma, especially as the clock ticks toward 2027 and as former leaders begin re-entering the public space with bold claims and renewed ambitions.