Kenya’s devolution project was built on hope. It promised to take development closer to the people, unlock local economies, and correct years of regional inequality. Counties were given power, resources, and autonomy to shape their own futures. More than a decade later, that promise still matters but it is under growing strain.
Across the country, county governments continue to announce ambitious development plans. Industrial parks, markets, roads, and youth programmes dominate policy speeches and budget documents. Yet many of these projects stall or fail to materialise. In many cases, the issue is not lack of funding. The money exists. The real problem lies in how choices are made once political pressure enters the equation. Public funds earmarked for development are increasingly diverted to satisfy short-term political needs. These decisions are often defended as unavoidable or urgent. Leaders claim they acted under pressure. However, pressure does not suspend the law. Instead, it reveals the true test of leadership.
Why Development Funds Matter
Development funds are not ordinary accounts. They exist to protect long-term priorities from political interference. Special-purpose accounts ensure that money allocated for projects such as industrial parks, hospitals, or infrastructure cannot be casually redirected. They provide continuity beyond election cycles and safeguard public interest.
When leaders withdraw money from these accounts for unrelated purposes, the damage goes beyond one stalled project. It weakens institutional discipline. It sends a signal that rules are flexible when politics demands it. Over time, this behaviour becomes normalised, and accountability loses meaning. Once an illegal decision is excused, others soon follow. What begins as a “one-off” becomes standard practice.
Political Pressure and Leadership Failure
Political pressure is not unique to Kenya. Every democracy experiences tension between governance and politics. What separates strong institutions from weak ones is how leaders respond to that pressure.
Public office exists to resist improper influence. Leadership demands restraint, courage, and respect for the law. When officials choose convenience over compliance, they shift the consequences to citizens. Projects stall, jobs disappear, and communities remain trapped in underdevelopment. Using pressure as justification for illegal spending is a failure of leadership. It turns accountability upside down and rewards recklessness.
The Hidden Cost to Citizens
Every shilling diverted from development carries a human cost. Industrial parks, for example, are designed to create jobs, support value addition, and stimulate local economies. When these projects stall, young people remain unemployed, entrepreneurs lose opportunities, and counties miss critical growth milestones.
Citizens pay twice. They contribute through taxes, then suffer the consequences of unfulfilled promises. Meanwhile, political events funded by public money end as soon as the applause fades. The banners come down. The cameras leave. Nothing lasting remains for the public. This cycle deepens public cynicism and weakens trust in government.
Boda Boda Politics and Vulnerability
Few groups attract political attention like boda boda riders. They are visible, organised, and politically influential. Leaders court them aggressively with promises of funding, recognition, and empowerment. Yet this attention is often transactional rather than transformative. When public funds are redirected to honour political commitments made without budgetary approval, questions arise about sustainability and intent. True empowerment requires planning, policy, and lawful budgeting. Shortcuts undermine all three.
Using vulnerable groups as political tools may win applause in the moment, but it fails to deliver lasting solutions.
Normalising Illegality in Public Finance
Kenya faces a deeper governance problem. Illegal decisions increasingly come with public confessions but no consequences. Leaders admit wrongdoing, apologise, and promise reform. Institutions acknowledge violations. Yet sanctions are rare. This pattern creates a dangerous precedent. When the law is broken without consequence, future violations become easier. Others learn quickly that rules carry little risk. Over time, impunity replaces accountability.
Democracy cannot function in such an environment. Trust erodes. Civic engagement declines. Citizens disengage from institutions they no longer believe will protect public interest.
Devolution at a Crossroads
Devolution was meant to empower communities and improve service delivery. It was never intended to decentralise mismanagement. Autonomy without discipline simply relocates corruption from the centre to the counties. Oversight institutions play a crucial role. County assemblies, auditors, and the Senate must act consistently and firmly. Selective accountability weakens governance. Consistency strengthens it. If devolution is to succeed, rules must apply equally, regardless of political position or party affiliation.
Confession Is Not Accountability
Admitting wrongdoing has value. Transparency matters. However, confession alone does not replace accountability. The law exists to deter misconduct. Without enforcement, it loses authority. Accountability must carry consequences. It must be political, legal, and institutional. Only then do incentives change. Only then does public trust begin to recover. Kenya cannot afford a culture where apologies substitute justice.
This story will not end with one hearing or one governor. New names will emerge. Similar explanations will surface. Pressure will be cited again. Urgency will be invoked again. The details may change, but the pattern will remain unless institutions act decisively. This is why the issue matters beyond daily headlines. It speaks to the future of governance, development, and trust in Kenya. Citizens are not powerless. Public awareness matters. Understanding public finance laws matters. Demanding explanations matters. Democracy does not end at the ballot. It requires constant engagement. When voters reward integrity and punish misuse of public funds, leadership improves. When spectacle replaces substance, governance suffers.
Kenya has the resources, talent, and vision to succeed. What remains uncertain is discipline. Protecting development funds protects the future. It safeguards jobs, opportunity, and trust. Political events will always come and go. Development must endure. If leaders cannot separate the two, then the law must do it for them. Because without accountability, devolution loses its purpose. And without discipline, development becomes nothing more than a campaign slogan.
