The counties of Kenya () are geographical units created by the 2010 Constitution of Kenya as the new units of devolved government. They replaced the previous provincial system.Article 6, Devolution and access to Services, The 2010 Constitution of Kenya The establishment and executive powers of the counties is provided in Chapter Eleven of the Constitution on devolved government, the Constitution's Fourth Schedule and any other legislation passed by the Senate of Kenya concerning counties. The counties are also single-member constituencies which elect members of the Senate,Article 98, (1) (a), Membership of the Senate, the 2010 Constitution of Kenya and special woman members to the National Assembly.Article 97, (1) (b) Membership of the National Assembly, The 2010 Constitution of Kenya
As of 2022, there were 47 counties whose size and boundaries were based on 1992 districts. Following the re-organization of Kenya's national administration, counties were integrated into a new national administration with the national government posting a county commissioner to each county to serve as a collaborative link with national government.
Establishment County governments were established in all 47 counties after the general elections in March 2013. The counties' names are set out in the First Schedule of the Constitution.
List of counties Under the new constitution, Kenya is now divided into 47 counties for administrative purposes. They are grouped below according to the former province they were separated from, with their areas and populations as of the 2009Kenya National Bureau of Statistics; and the final report of the IEBC as ratified in the National Assembly Constituencies and County Assembly Wards Order, 2012. and the 2019 census:
+ Code County FormerProvince Area(km2) Population(2009 Census) Population(2019 Census) Capital Registered Voters(2022 Elections)Postal Abbreviations 001 Mombasa Coast 212.5 939,370 1,208,333 Mombasa 641,913MSA 002 Kwale 8,270.3 649,931 866,820 Kwale 328,253KWL 003 Kilifi 12,245.9 1,109,735 1,453,787 Kilifi 588,602KLF 004 Tana River 35,375.8 240,075 315,943 Hola 141,096TRV 005 Lamu 6,497.7 101,539 143,920 Lamu 81,453LMU 006 Taita–Taveta 17,083.9 284,657 340,671 Mwatate 181,827TVT 007 Garissa North Eastern 45,720.2 623,060 841,353 Garissa 201,473GRS 008 Wajir 55,840.6 661,941 781,263 Wajir 207,758WJR 009 Mandera 25,797.7 1,025,756 867,457 Mandera 217,030MDR 010 Marsabit Eastern 66,923.1 291,166 459,785 Marsabit 166,912MRS 11 Isiolo 25,336.1 143,294 268,002 Isiolo 89,504ISL 12 Meru 7,003.1 1,356,301 1,545,714 Meru 772,139MRU 13 Tharaka-Nithi 2,609.5 365,330 393,177 Kathwana 231,932TNT 14 Embu 2,555.9 516,212 608,599 Embu 334,302EMB 15 Kitui 24,385.1 1,012,709 1,136,187 Kitui 532,758KTU 16 Machakos 5,952.9 1,098,584 1,421,932 Machakos 687,565MCK 17 Makueni 8,008.9 884,527 987,653 Wote 479,401MKN 18 Nyandarua Central 3,107.7 596,268 638,289 Ol Kalou 361,165NDR 19 Nyeri 2,361.0 693,558 759,164 Nyeri 481,632NYR 20 Kirinyaga 1,205.4 528,054 610,411 Kerugoya 376,001KRG 21 Murang'a 2,325.8 942,581 1,056,640 Murang'a 620,929MRG 22 Kiambu 2,449.2 1,623,282 2,417,735 Kiambu 1,275,008KMB 23 Turkana Rift Valley 98,597.8 1,100,399 1,504,976 Lodwar 238,528TRK 24 West Pokot 8,418.2 512,690 621,241 Kapenguria 220,026WPK 25 Samburu 20,182.5 223,947 310,327 Maralal 100,014SBR 26 Trans-Nzoia 2,469.9 818,757 990,341 Kitale 398,981TNZ 27 Uasin Gishu 2,955.3 894,179 1,163,186 Eldoret 506,138UGS 28 Elgeyo-Marakwet 3,049.7 369,998 454,480 Iten 213,884EMK 29 Nandi 2,884.5 752,965 885,711 Kapsabet 406,288NDI 30 Baringo 11,075.3 555,561 666,763 Kabarnet 281,053BRG 31 Laikipia 8,696.1 399,227 518,560 Rumuruti 263,012LKP 32 Nakuru 7,509.5 1,603,325 2,162,202 Nakuru1,054,856 NKR 33 Narok 17,921.2 850,920 1,157,873 Narok 398,784NRK 34 Kajiado 21,292.7 687,312 1,117,840 Kajiado 463,273KJD 35 Kericho 2,454.5 752,396 901,777 Kericho 428,067KRC 36 Bomet 1,997.9 730,129 875,689 Bomet 376,985BMT 37 Kakamega Western 3,033.8 1,660,651 1,867,579 Kakamega 844,551KKG 38 Vihiga 531.3 554,622 590,013 Mbale 310,043VHG 39 Bungoma 2,206.9 1,375,063 1,670,570 Bungoma 646,598BGM 40 Busia 1,628.4 743,946 893,681 Busia 416,756BSA 41 Siaya Nyanza 2,496.1 842,304 993,183 Siaya 533,595SYA 42 Kisumu 2,009.5 968,909 1,155,574 Kisumu 606,754KSM 43 Homa Bay 3,154.7 963,794 1,131,950 Homa Bay 551,071HBY 44 Migori 2,586.4 917,170 1,116,436 Migori 469,019MGR 45 Kisii 1,317.9 1,152,282 1,266,860 Kisii 637,010KSI 46 Nyamira 912.5 598,252 605,576 Nyamira 323,283NMR 47 Nairobi Nairobi 694.9 3,138,369 4,397,073 Nairobi 2,415,310NBI TOTAL 581,309.0 38,610,997 47,564,296 22,102,532
County governments County governments are responsible for county legislation (outlined in article 185 of the Constitution of Kenya), executive functions (outlined in article 183), functions outlined in the fourth schedule of the constitution of Kenya, functions transferred from the national government through article 187 of the constitution of Kenya, functions agreed upon with other counties under article 189(2) of the constitution of Kenya, and establishment and staffing of a public service (under article 235 of the Constitution of Kenya). The functions of governments assigned to counties by the fourth schedule of the Constitution of Kenya are:
Agriculture Crop and animal husbandry Livestock sale yards County abattoirs (slaughterhouses) Plant and animal disease control Fisheries Kishada
County health services County health facilities and pharmacies Ambulance services Promotion of primary health care Licensing and control of undertakings that sell food to the public Veterinary services (excluding regulation of the profession) Cemeteries, funeral parlors and crematoria Refuse removal, refuse dumps and solid waste disposal. Food distribution and Free services for pregnant mothers
Pollution, nuisances and advertising control Control of air pollution, noise pollution, other public nuisances and outdoor advertising
Cultural activities, public entertainment and public amenities Betting, casinos and other forms of gambling Racing Liquor licensing Cinemas Video shows and hiring Libraries Museums Sports and cultural activities and facilities County parks, beaches and recreation facilities Ice skating Sport fishing Golf Horse racing Rugby soccer
County transport County roads Street lighting Traffic and parking Public road transport Ferries and harbors, excluding the regulation of international and national shipping and matters related thereto SGR- Madaraka Express (modern railway experience).
Trade development and regulation Markets Trade licenses, excluding regulation of professions Fair trading practices Local tourism Cooperative societies
County planning and development Statistics Land surveying, planning and mapping of resources Boundaries and fencing Housing Electricity and gas reticulation and energy regulation
Education and childcare Pre-primary education, village polytechnics, homecraft center's and childcare facilities Adult education and national exam registration for the same.
Policy implementation Implementation of specific national government policies on natural resources and environmental conservation Soil and water conservation Forestry
County public works and services Stormwater management systems in built-up areas Water and sanitation services
Fire fighting services and disaster management
Counties are mandated by the 2010 constitution of Kenya to enact legislation and laws that ensures management and controls of fire fighting.
Coordination Ensuring and coordinating the participation of communities and locations in governance at the local level Assisting communities and locations to develop the administrative capacity for the effective exercise of the functions and powers and participation in governance at the local level
County executive committee The county governor and the deputy county governor are the chief executive and deputy chief executive of the county, respectively. The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission shall not conduct a separate election for the deputy governor but shall declare the running mate of the person who is elected county governor to have been elected as the deputy governor. Each county will be run by an executive committee, consisting of: A governor, elected directly by the people A deputy, elected as running mate of the successful candidate for governorship A number of committee members not exceeding a third (or ten where a county assembly has more than 30 members) of the members of the respective county assembly A county secretary, nominated by the governor and approved by the county assembly, who will double up as head of the county public service, and secretary to the county executive committeeAppointment of county secretary, Section 44, County Government Act 2012 Uniquely among democracies, Kenyan law requires governors to have a recognised university degree.
County assemblies The counties each have an assembly whose members are elected from single-member constituencies known as wards. There may also be a number of nominated members as is necessary to ensure that neither male nor female members constitute more than two-thirds of the assembly.Article 177, (1) Membership of a County Assembly, The 2010 Constitution of Kenya. There will also be six nominated members to represent marginalised groups (persons with disabilities, and the youth) and a county assembly speaker who will be an ex officio member of the assembly.Article 177 (c), The 2010 Constitution of Kenya
See also List of counties of Kenya by population List of counties of Kenya by GDP List of counties of Kenya by poverty rate ISO 3166-2:KE References
External links
Kenya county websites OpenData Tharaka-Nithi