Quick Answer
County governments deliver the 14 functions devolved to them by the Constitution — the everyday services closest to citizens, from county health facilities and water to county roads, agriculture and pre-primary education.
Key facts
- Counties handle 14 devolved functions.
- These cover most everyday local services.
- County health, water, county roads and agriculture are all devolved.
- Police, national hospitals and universities are NOT county functions.
The 14 devolved functions
The Fourth Schedule assigns 14 broad functions to county governments. In everyday terms, your county is responsible for:
- County health services — county and sub-county hospitals, dispensaries, ambulances, primary health care.
- Agriculture — crop and animal husbandry, livestock markets, fisheries, plant and animal disease control.
- County transport — county roads, street lighting, traffic and parking, public road transport.
- Water, sanitation and stormwater drainage; county public works.
- Pre-primary education (ECDE), village polytechnics and childcare facilities.
- Trade development and regulation — markets, trade licences, cooperatives, local tourism.
- County planning and development; firefighting and disaster management.
- Control of air and noise pollution, and other local public services.
The services you touch most often
In daily life, the county is usually the government you actually deal with — the dispensary you visit, the market you trade in, the county road outside your home, the water connection, the ECDE class your child attends. When these work or break down, responsibility starts with the county.
What counties do NOT do
Many services people blame on counties are actually national. Counties are not responsible for:
- The police and national security.
- National referral hospitals and overall health policy.
- Universities and the hiring of schoolteachers (a national function).
- Major national highways (as opposed to county roads).
Why this matters to you
Taking a problem to the right office is half the battle. Knowing the 14 county functions tells you when to approach your Governor, County Assembly or an MCA — and when the issue belongs to a national office instead.
Frequently asked questions
Is health a county function?
County health services are devolved — county facilities, dispensaries and ambulances. National referral hospitals and health policy remain national.
Are roads a county responsibility?
County roads are; major national highways are a national function.
Do counties employ teachers?
Pre-primary (ECDE) staff are county; primary and secondary schoolteachers are hired nationally.
Sources & references
- Constitution of Kenya 2010, Fourth Schedule, Part 2 (County Governments) — klrc.go.ke
- State Department for Devolution — devolution.go.ke