Fourth devolution conference to be held at the Mara Game Reserve

From left: Tharaka-Nithi Governor Samwel Ragwa, Garissa Governor Nathif Jama and Meru Deputy Governor Raphael Muriungi participate during the third Devolution conference at Meru Polytechnic April 22, 2016. The next annual devolution conference will be held at the Mara Game Reserve early next year. PHOTO | JOSEPH KANYI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The annual meeting seeks to improve relations between the national government and devolved units.
  • The conference will feature 'Devolution Warrior Awards' meant to recognise organisations that have supported devolution.
  • The inaugural conference was held in Kwale County in April in 2014, followed by Kisumu in 2015 and the third was held in Meru earlier this year.

Organisers of the annual Devolution Conference have settled on the Mara Game Reserve as the venue for the next meeting in February that will also include 50 invited members of the public from each of the 47 counties.

The multi-agency intergovernmental devolution planning committee on Wednesday said it settled on the venue to offer a “unique” experience for participants, who will discuss the challenges of devolution.

Narok Governor Samuel Tunai, in whose county the reserve falls, said his administration will work with the national government to ensure the event succeeds.

“This is a special conference in terms of the venue. As the county of Narok, we are ready to host this conference,” he said at the Kempinski Hotel after a preparatory meeting of the committee.

“We will work with all stakeholders to ensure the security preparedness is also up to standard and I take this opportunity to invite all leaders to attend,” he said.

The meeting was also attended by Council of Governors Vice-Chairman John Mruttu and Bomet Senator Wilfred Lesan.

The Devolution Conference was first created in 2013 to improve relations between the national government and counties as well as discuss the challenges of managing the regions.

According to the Council of Governors, the meeting has become a critical event in the annual calendar because it converges stakeholders to discuss several matters of concern to the devolved system of government.

In addition, the council says host counties get an opportunity to market their tourism facilities.

It has been a tradition to hold the event in different counties. The inaugural conference was held in Kwale County in April 2014, followed by Kisumu 2015 and the third was held in Meru earlier this year.

The committee said it will invite groups of members of the public from the counties as part of a strategy to increase public participation.

As 2017 is an election year, the organisers say they will move the meeting to February 20 from the usual April date to avoid clashing with campaign fever.

Next year’s conference will also feature the Devolution Warrior Awards, meant to recognise organisations that have supported devolution.

Under the theme “The Devolution Transformation”, it is expected to be opened by President Uhuru Kenyatta.