It was either an act of deliberate omission or commission by the drafters of the 2010 Constitution to fail to outline the duties, roles and mandates of deputy county governors.

This lacuna has been the cause of incessant friction between governors and their deputies since devolved government was introduced in 2013.

Experts blame the ceaseless fights between the two county bosses on the vague provisions in Section 32(3) of the County Governments Act which stipulates that a governor may assign the deputy any other responsibility or portfolio as a member of the county executive committee.

On the other hand, Article 179 of the Constitution vests the executive authority of a governor, deputy governor and the members of the executive committee.

The two sets of laws that fail to outline the distinct roles and mandates of the two leaders who are required to undertake joint election campaigns rendered deputy governors largely isolated from the management of counties. This is despite deputy governors earning hefty perks paid by taxpayers.

Deputy governors have been operating without budgets for their offices to enable them to discharge their duties.

In some cases, some deputy governors have had their offices locked and their vehicles and staff withdrawn by governors who feel threatened by the former.

Data from the Senate Committee on Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations indicates that at least 21 deputy governors have filed complaints against their bosses seeking help to solve the challenges they face.

Of the 47 current deputy governors, only five per cent have a harmonious working relationship with their governors, fuelling the urgency to amend the law to correct the situation.

It defeats logic to pay individuals a salary of Sh600,000 monthly, give them various allowances and a retinue of staffers only for them to turn up in their deluxe offices to read newspapers and play with mobile phones.

The proposed County Government Amendment Bill 2024, sponsored by Senate Deputy Speaker Muthuri Murungi, could provide an answer for the administrative woes facing deputy governors.

Amending the law to give deputy governors responsibilities and clear mandates should be expedited in order to make their offices functional and deliver services for Kenyans.

The legal protection provided for the Deputy President  should be replicated in counties.