Local authorities of Kenya

Politics of Kenya

Local authorities in Kenya are the bodies controlling local governance in Kenya.

Kenya has four classes of local authorities: "City", "Municipality", "Town" and "County" council. Currently there is only one authority with city status: Nairobi, the national capital. A Municipalities and towns are other forms of urban authorities and are generally named after their central town. County councils are essentially rural. Each district has a maximum of one county council, such that they cover all area not taken up by urban authorities. County councils are usually named after their respective districts, which often bear the same name with its district capital. Thus county councils are often named after a major town, but their land area may not cover the town itself but its surroundings. Some districts have only one local authority, which are county councils, apart from few exceptions.

Local authorities usually differ from divisional and constituency boundaries used by the state administration. Local authority administration consists of a Mayor, Town clerk and councillors. The number of councillors depend on population and area of each authority and they are elected by the public during the Kenya general elections held every five years or by-elections held in between. Authorities are divided into wards and each ward elects only one councillor. Wards have often common boundaries with administrative locations.

Compared to many other countries, local authorities in Kenya are weak and are shadowed by state run administration Samuel O. Owuor, B. Charlery, M. Chretin and B. Schaffner: Urban planning and management in small and medium-size towns In: Les Cahiers d’Afrique de l’Est – Supplementary Issue, 23-48, September, 2006 ] . However, during the international Africities summit held in Nairobi September 2006, the Kenyan president Mwai Kibaki promised to strengthen local authorities [ [http://www.africites.org/index_eng.php Africities summit 2006] ] .

Kisumu and Mombasa, which currently have municipal councils have recently been granted city status, but they are yet to get their city charters b] .

List of local authorities in Kenya:

Nairobi Province

*Nairobi District
**Nairobi city

= Central Province =

*Kiambu District
**Kiambu municipality
**Kiambu county council
**Limuru municipality
**Kikuyu town council
**Karuri town council

*Kirinyaga District
**Kerugoya/Kutus municipality
**Kirinyaga county council
**Sagana town council

*Muranga District
**Murang'a municipality
**Murang'a county council
**Kangema town council

*Nyandarua District
**Ol Kalou town council
**Nyandarua county council

*Nyeri District
**Nyeri municipality
**Nyeri county council
**Karatina municipality
**Othaya town council

*Thika District
**Thika municipality
**Thika county council
**Ruiru municipality

*Maragua District
**Maragua town council
**Maragua county council
**Kandara town council
**Makuyu town council

Coast Province

*Kilifi District
**Kilifi town council
**Kilifi county council
**Mariakani town council

*Kwale District
**Kwale town council
**Kwale county council

*Lamu District
**Lamu county council

*Malindi District
**Malindi municipality
**Malindi county council

*Mombasa District
**Mombasa municipality

*Taita-Taveta District
**Taita-Taveta county council
**Taveta town council
**Voi municipality

*Tana River District
**Tana river county council

= Eastern Province =

*Embu District
**Embu municipality
**Embu county council
**Runyenjes municipality

*Isiolo District
**Isiolo county council

*Kitui District
**Kitui municipality
**Kitui county council

*Makueni District
**Wote town council
**Makueni county council
**Mtito Andei town council

*Machakos District
**Machakos municipality
**Masaku county council
**Mavoko municipality (Athi River town)
**Kangundo town council
**Matuu town council

*Marsabit District
**Marsabit county council

*Mbeere District
**Mbeere county council

*Meru Central District
**Meru municipality
**Meru county council

*Meru North District (Nyambene District)
**Maua municipality
**Myambene county council

*Meru South District (Nithi District)
**Chuka municipality
**Chogoria town council
**Meru south county council

*Moyale District
**Moyale county council

*Mwingi District
**Mwingi town council
**Mwingi county council

*Tharaka District
**Tharaka county council

= North Eastern Province =

*Garissa District
**Garissa municipality
**Garissa county council

*Mandera District
**Mandera town council
**Mandera county council

*Wajir District
**Wajir county council

*Ijara District
**Ijara county council

Nyanza Province

*Gucha District
**Ogembo town council
**Gucha county council
**Nyamarambe town council
**Nyamache town council
**Tabaka town council

*Homa Bay District
**Homa Bay municipality
**Homa Bay county council

*Kisii Central District
**Kisii municipality
**Gusii county council
**Keroka town council
**Suneka town council
**Masimba town council

*Kisumu District
**Kisumu municipality
**Kisumu county council

*Kuria District
**Kehancha municipality

*Migori District
**Migori municipality
**Migori county council
**Rongo town council
**Awendo town council

*Nyamira District (North Kisii District)
**Nyamira town council
**Nyamira county council
**Nyansiongo town council

*Rachuonyo District
**Oyugis town council
**Kendu Bay town council
**Rachuonyo county council

*Siaya District
**Siaya municipality
**Siaya county council
**Yala town council
**Ugunja town council
**Ukwala town council

*Suba District
**Mbita Point town council
**Suba county council

*Bondo District
**Bondo town council
**Bondo county council

*Nyando District
**Nyando county council
**Muhoroni town council
**Ahero town council

Rift Valley Province

*Baringo District
**Kabarnet municipality
**Baringo county council

*Bomet District
**Bomet municipality
**Bomet county council

*Buret District
**Litein town council
**Buret county council
**Sotik town council

*Keiyo District
**Iten/Tambach town council
**Keiyo county council

*Kajiado District
**Kajiado town council
**Olkejuado county council

*Kericho District
**Kericho municipality
**Kipsigis county council
**Londiani town council
**Kipkelion town council

*Koibatek District
**Eldama Ravine town council
**Koibatek county council

*Laikipia District
**Nanyuki municipality
**Laikipia county council
**Nyahururu municipality
**Rumuruti town council
*Marakwet District
**Marakwet county council

*Nakuru District
**Nakuru municipality
**Nakuru county council
**Naivasha municipality
**Molo town council

*Nandi District
**Kapsabet municipality
**Nandi county council
**Nandi Hills town council

*Narok District
**Narok town council
**Narok county council

*Samburu District
**Maralal town council
**Samburu county council

*Trans Mara District
**Trans Mara county council (Kilgoris)

*Trans-Nzoia District
**Kitale municipality
**Nzoia county council

*Turkana District
**Lodwar municipality
**Turkana county council

*Uasin Gishu District
**Eldoret municipality
**Wareng county council
**Burnt Forest town council

*West Pokot District
**Kapenguria municipality
**Pokot county council
**Chepareria town council

= Western Province =

*Bungoma District
**Bungoma municipality
**Bungoma county council
**Kimilili municipality
**Sirisia town council
**Malakisi town council
**Webuye municipality

*Busia District
**Busia municipality
**Busia county council
**Funyula town council
**Nambale town council
**Port Victoria town council

*Butere/Mumias District
**Butere-Mumias county council
**Mumias municipality

*Mount Elgon District
**Mount Elgon county council

*Kakamega District
**Kakamega municipality
**Kakamega county council
**Malava town council

*Lugari District
**Lugari county council

*Teso District
**Malaba town council
**Teso county council

*Vihiga District
**Vihiga municipality
**Vihiga county council
**Luanda town council

See also

*Districts of Kenya
*Subdivisions of Kenya

References

External links

*http://www.localgovernment.go.ke
*http://www.algak.net
*http://treasury.go.ke/cbs.go.ke/pdf/authority.pdf