Newly elected Council of Governors (CoG) chairperson Muthomi Njuki has pledged to protect devolution and push for increased funding to county governments to support economic growth and improve service delivery.
Speaking on Monday, October 12, 2026, after taking over from outgoing chairperson and Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi, Njuki said he would build on his predecessor’s efforts to safeguard devolution and strengthen the role of county governments in Kenya’s development.
Njuki assured fellow governors that he would stand firm in defending devolution, particularly when county governments face challenges over funding and the sharing of resources. He said he would not support government decisions that undermine the interests of counties or weaken the devolved system.
Njuki's commitment to devolution
The new CoG chairperson said protecting devolution would remain a key priority during his term, adding that county governments need adequate resources and support to carry out their responsibilities effectively.
Njuki also announced plans to engage both the National Assembly and the Senate in a bid to improve relations between county governments and Parliament. He said he would seek meetings with the two Houses to strengthen cooperation and address the disagreements that have affected their working relationship.
The governor noted that better engagement between the Council of Governors and Parliament would help resolve outstanding issues and create a better environment for the delivery of services to Kenyans.
On county funding, Njuki said he would take an active role in budget discussions to push for an increase in resources allocated to the 47 counties. He expressed the need to raise county funding from the current KSh400 billion level to KSh500 billion in the next financial year.
Plans for increased county funding
He said increased allocations would give county governments more room to implement development projects, improve public services and support economic activities within their jurisdictions.
Njuki also highlighted the importance of development partners in supporting county governments, noting that several donor-funded projects had remained pending and needed to be followed up.
He said the projects should be given attention to ensure they are completed and deliver benefits to residents. Njuki added that development partners had played an important role in supporting county programmes and should be allowed to continue working effectively with county governments.
Role of development partners
Meanwhile, Bungoma Governor Kenneth Lusaka, who was elected the Council of Governors vice chairperson, called on governors to strengthen their unity as they push for better funding and improved services in their counties.
Lusaka said governors needed to work together and present a united position when engaging the national government and other institutions on matters affecting devolution.
Unity among governors
He noted that cooperation among county leaders would strengthen their ability to push for adequate resources and address common challenges facing devolved units.
Outgoing chairperson Ahmed Abdullahi said his administration had worked to create a favourable environment for county governments to grow and deliver on their mandates.
Abdullahi said his tenure had focused on improving relations between the Council of Governors and the national government, providing a foundation for continued engagement between the two levels of government.
Njuki now takes over leadership of the council at a time when county funding, resource allocation and relations between county governments and national institutions remain key issues in the implementation of devolution.
