Ruto rebukes slow counties, says delays undermine devolution gains
By Kiprono Keileb, December 10, 2025President William Ruto has urged county governments to move with greater urgency in implementing critical reforms, warning that delays continue to slow down the full promise of devolution despite major national milestones already achieved.
In his statement after chairing the 12th National and County Governments Coordinating Summit at State House on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, the President said the partnership between the two levels of government has delivered important progress, but there is still more that needs to be done to ensure Kenyans feel the impact of devolved services in their daily lives.
In his remarks, President Ruto said the close working relationship between the national and county governments has strengthened service delivery since the advent of devolution.
“We are proud of the partnership between the National and County governments, a partnership that has strengthened devolution and brought services closer to the people. This collaboration has turned counties into engines of growth and champions of responsive, people-centred delivery,” he said.
He highlighted improvements across multiple sectors, noting that counties have expanded agricultural value chains, advanced County Aggregation and Industrial Parks, and adopted digital systems that have modernised public services. He also pointed to progress under the Social Health Authority reforms.
“Across the country, counties have improved healthcare under the Social Health Authority reforms, expanded agricultural value chains, advanced County Aggregation and Industrial Parks, and adopted digital systems that modernise services,” he said.
Ruto added that Kenya is working closely with international partners to strengthen essential sectors such as healthcare.
“With partners such as the United States, we are reinforcing healthcare systems, a shared duty between both levels of government,” he noted.
The President also announced a major milestone in Kenya’s devolution journey, saying the government had achieved full clarity on the roles of both national and county governments.
“For the first time in our history, we have completed the full delineation, unbundling and gazettement of devolved functions. This ensures clarity of responsibility and guarantees that resources follow functions,” he said.
However, Ruto expressed concern that some resolutions from previous summits remain unimplemented.
“As we acknowledge the progress made, we must also recognise that delays in implementing past National and County Governments Coordinating Summit resolutions remain a concern. We call on all responsible institutions to act with urgency to implement every resolution and uphold the spirit of our partnership,” he stated.
The Summit brought together governors, Cabinet members, and senior state officials to assess progress in key intergovernmental priorities and chart the way forward for devolved governance.