Devolution's defenders point to improved rural health access and local infrastructure. Its critics point to graft scandals and disbursement delays. Both are right, because devolution's record is not one story — it is 47 different stories.
Where It's Working
Counties with strong technical leadership in their planning and finance departments — regardless of which party holds the governorship — have generally translated devolved funds into visible services more consistently than counties without that capacity.
Where It Isn't
The weakest link remains predictable and timely disbursement from the national Treasury, a problem devolution's design was supposed to insulate counties from and largely has not.
“Devolution moved decision-making closer to citizens. It did not, by itself, guarantee competence or remove the national government's ability to starve counties of cash when it suits Nairobi's fiscal politics.”
A fair verdict on devolution, over a decade in, has to hold both truths at once.
