The promises and pain of devolution in Kenya

The morning sun beats down on Jane Atieno's back as she kneels beside a murky stream, filling her third jerrican of the day.

Just 300 meters away, the shiny blue borehole installed by county officials last year stands silent, its broken handle a monument to failed promises.

Her daily struggle mirrors Kenya's devolution paradox - while 72% of citizens believe decentralized governance has improved services according to Twaweza's Sauti za Wananchi survey, only 29% feel their input actually influences county decisions.

This disconnect looms large as leaders prepare for the Devolution Conference in Homabay, where such contradictions will play out against a backdrop of soaring rhetoric and grassroots frustration.

When pipes burst or medicines run out, Kenyans have voted with their feet about whom they trust - MCAs emerge as the first responders for 42% of citizens, while senators trail at a dismal 3% according to Sauti za Wananchi data.

Even accessing these leaders proves challenging, with only 29% describing county offices as reachable and many reporting demands for "facilitation fees" just to submit complaints.

The service delivery report card shows stark contrasts - counties outperform national government in healthcare (54% satisfaction) but fail spectacularly on water access (32%) according to KNBS data.

Beneath these numbers lies a corrosive reality: World Bank estimates suggest 37% of county budgets disappear through graft, forcing ordinary Kenyans to navigate informal "systems" for basic services.

Public participation forums meant to empower citizens have become theatres of exclusion, with men outnumbering women three-to-one and urban elites dominating discussions.

Youth like 19-year-old Kevin Mwangi dismiss these meetings as "performances," preferring Twitter spaces where they can speak freely without bureaucratic filters.

Yet Makueni County's success story proves devolution's potential, boasting 65% satisfaction rates through genuine public engagement according to UN Habitat metrics.

Their "Governor Direct" SMS system handles hundreds of daily queries, a stark contrast to conference host Homabay where residents describe leaders who only appear during election seasons.

Mandating pre-decision consultations with verifiable public input could end current rubber-stamp practices that see 82% of citizens feeling ignored. County budget documents should include mandatory "impact statements" showing precisely how citizen feedback shaped allocations, creating tangible accountability.

Simple mobile technologies can revolutionize access - USSD codes could let farmers report broken equipment and mothers track clinic construction in real time.

Makueni's model proves innovation works when paired with political will, having resolved over 12,000 citizen complaints via SMS last year alone.

Corruption demands both institutional surgery and cultural change, starting with live-streamed procurement processes and protected whistleblower channels.

The EACC should deploy permanent county offices with anonymous tip lines, while civil society groups need legal safeguards to monitor projects without intimidation.

Targeted forums scheduled during non-working hours with childcare provisions could finally bring women's voices into the conversation.

Participatory budgeting initiatives that let communities directly allocate portions of county funds have proven effective globally in creating genuine ownership of development projects.

Performance-based grants from the national treasury could incentivize excellence by rewarding counties showing measurable improvements in independent audits.

Linking a portion of equitable share allocations to citizen satisfaction scores would foster healthy competition rather than the current race to the bottom.

As dusk falls over Migori, Jane begins her final water trip past the silent borehole, her muscles aching from the day's labour.

The upcoming conference represents both a reckoning and opportunity - will leaders finally move beyond speeches to fix broken systems, or will this become another elite gathering that changes nothing?

True transformation requires measuring success in working boreholes rather than ribbon-cutting ceremonies, in citizen influence rather than meeting attendance numbers.

The constitution laid devolution's foundation, but its future depends on ordinary Kenyans like Jane demanding nothing less than the governance they were promised.