KISUMU, Kenya, July 19 – The National Caucus of Cities and Municipalities Managers is focused on ensuring that devolution functions effectively within county governments. The newly elected National Executive Committee aims to redefine urban management in the country through a comprehensive work plan addressing critical issues such as Urban Governance and the Devolution of Functions.
During a meeting in Kisumu earlier today, the Chairman of the National Caucus, Abala Wanga, emphasised their commitment to lobbying for Urban Financing from major donors to support municipalities.
“We are eager to strengthen this forum as a platform for advocating for urban centres and addressing the human resource challenges we face,” Mr. Wanga, who also serves as the Kisumu City Manager, stated.
Nicholas Mbwitha, the Council of Governors (COG) Coordinator of Urban Development,(R), and Ruth Waweru (Gatundu) reiterated their commitment to collaborate closely with all stakeholders and leaders. Photos by Rolex Omondi
“As counties, we have matured in ensuring that citizens access essential services to foster socioeconomic growth and development,” Mr. Mbwitha noted, adding that urban entities should have been established in 2013.
However, he acknowledged that progress had been delayed due to ongoing legal challenges.
According to Mbwitha, many counties are actively working towards this goal to meet the necessary verification thresholds.
The COG is also dealing with persistent issues related to the full delegation and transfer of functions and resources.
“We are in continuous consultations to support the counties in fulfilling their roles and responsibilities. We hope to achieve this within the next one to six years,” he assured.
Some topics discussed by the committee included the active participation of the 100 urban entities in the upcoming Homabay Devolution Conference.
“The welfare of cities and municipal managers is our top priority. We must harness the opportunities and benefits that arise for the organisation,” he said, emphasising the need for collective resource mobilisation to address the concerns of citizens.
The Caucus’s Human Resources and Governance Champion, Ruth Waweru, advocated for the standardisation of operations and procedures across departments.
“A case in point is the Standard Staff Establishment in cities and municipalities, which will help clarify deployment from counties to cities,” said Ms Waweru, who is the Gatundu Municipalities Manager.
Describing the future as urban with significant untapped devolution potential in urban areas, the team reaffirmed their commitment to gaining the unwavering support of the COG in advancing the Devolved Urban Agenda.
“This initiative will help revitalise some of our ‘Forgotten Cities.’ We also encourage other counties to draw inspiration from Kisumu City, which is a leader in effective city management practices,” they concluded
