Counties of Kenya

Map of counties

The counties of Kenya are geographical units envisioned by the 2010 Constitution of Kenya as the units along which devolved government will be created. ^[1] The powers are provided in Articles 191 and 192 of the Constitution and in the Fourth Schedule. Pending legislation that will provide for such matters as removal of a County governor, the Counties of Kenya are due to become fully operational after the 2012 general elections. The counties will also act single member constituencies for the election of Members of Parliament to the Senate of Kenya ^[2] and Special Women Members of Parliament to the National Assembly of Kenya ^[3] As of the 2012 general elections, there will be 47 counties whose size and boundaries are based on the 47 legally recognized Districts of Kenya.

Tentative establishment

County governments are set to be set up in 47 Counties (Based on the 1992 Districts of Kenya), in the Kenya general election. The Counties' names are set out in the First Schedule of the Constitution of Kenya

Executive committee

Each county will be run be 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.

County assemblies

The counties will 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. ^[4]

References

1. ^ Article 6, Devolution and access to Services, The 2010 Constitution of Kenya
2. ^ Article 98, (1) (a), Membership of the Senate, the 2010 Constitution of Kenya
3. ^ Article 97, (1) (b) Membership of the National Assembly, The 2010 Constitution of Kenya
4. ^ Article 177, (1) Membership of a County Assembly, The 2010 Constitution of Kenya.

See also

• Provinces of Kenya