John Mbadi, Kenya’s National Treasury and Economic Planning Cabinet Secretary, has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to advancing devolution by ensuring that financial resources follow the unbundling and transfer of functions to county governments.
Speaking during an interview on Thursday, 15th January, Mbadi detailed what the government is doing to address the long-standing challenges of devolution in Kenya.
Besides emphasizing support for devolution, Mbadi’s statement reflects his official confirmation of the allocation plan.
“As Cabinet Secretary for the Treasury, we want devolution to succeed. The proposed equitable share for the financial year 2026/27 of Ksh 420 billion is equivalent to 21.87 per cent of the recent audited actual national revenue, which is in line with the constitutional requisites,” Mbadi said.
While also highlighting the efforts of intergovernmental bodies in the process, Mbadi’s remarks focused on costing exercises, revenue-sharing enhancements, and the need for predictable funding mechanisms through constitutional amendments.
To ensure stability as well as actual percentages, Mbadi urged constitutional changes in order to base transfers on all revenue collected during the previous year, rather than audited figures. In line with this, he referenced a target of Sh420 billion for the upcoming financial year, 2026/27.
To address inefficiencies at the county level of government, such as redundant staffing, Mbadi was quick to highlight the importance of eliminating the ‘bad eggs’ from the system to underscore the full impact of devolution in the country.
According to political pundits, Mbadi’s remarks underscore the government’s push for timely and accountable, function-aligned resource distribution that can support inclusive development across all 47 counties in Kenya.
