Newly elected Council of Governors (CoG) chairperson Muthomi Njuki has pledged to safeguard devolution and push for increased funding to county governments, promising not to support decisions that undermine devolved units.
Speaking on Monday, October 12, 2026, after taking over from Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi, Njuki said he would build on his predecessor’s efforts to protect devolution and improve relations between county governments and the national government.
Njuki assured fellow governors that he would prioritise the interests of counties, particularly in negotiations over resources and policies affecting devolved functions.
He also announced plans to engage both houses of Parliament to strengthen cooperation and address recurring disagreements between the legislature and county governments.
On funding, Njuki said he would participate actively in budget-making discussions to push for an increase in allocations to counties from the current Sh400 billion level to Sh500 billion in the next financial year.
The new CoG chairperson further called for renewed efforts to follow up on donor-funded projects that have stalled, saying development partners play an important role in supporting county programmes and improving residents’ livelihoods.
Njuki said county governments should be given the necessary support and operating space to work effectively with development partners and advance local development.
Meanwhile, Bungoma Governor Kenneth Lusaka, who was elected vice-chairperson, called for greater unity among governors as they lobby for additional resources and advocate for the interests of their respective counties.
Outgoing chairperson Ahmed Abdullahi said his administration had worked to strengthen relations between the Council of Governors and the national government, creating room for county governments to pursue their development priorities.
Njuki takes over the council at a time when county funding, relations with the national government and the implementation of devolution remain central issues in discussions between the two levels of government.
