Sub-Counties of Kenya
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Sub-counties, also known as Districts, are the decentralised units through which government of Kenya provides functions and services.[1] At national level, sub-counties take a more administrative function like security, statistical purposes, provision of government services, etc. Even though the sub-counties are divisions of counties, powers to create new national sub-counties lies with the national government. As of 2023, there are 314 sub-counties, compared to 290 constituencies. A deputy county commissioner is appointed by the state to lead each sub-county. The sub-counties are further divided into divisions, locations and sub-locations.
Districts were introduced in Kenya by the colonial government for ease control and management of the colony. The number of districts in Kenya through the colonial period varied. Headed by District Commissioners (DC), districts were the second level of administration after the
Under the former Constitution of Kenya, the
At county government level, except for the parts which fall under urban areas, sub-counties coincide
List of the 46 districts plus the capital of Kenya (as of 1992)
Following a High Court ruling in September 2009, there were 46 legal districts in Kenya,[6] excluding Nairobi which constituted a 47th district.
Following the
- Kilifi District (Kilifi)
- Kwale District (Kwale)
- Lamu District (Lamu)
- Mombasa District (Mombasa)
- Taita-Taveta District (Wundanyi)
- Tana River District (Hola)
- Embu District (Embu)
- Isiolo District (Isiolo)
- Kitui District (Kitui)
- Machakos District (Machakos)
- Makueni)
- Marsabit District (Marsabit)
- Meru District (Meru)
- Mutomo District (Mutomo)
- Tharaka-Nithi District (Chuka)
- Kiambu District (Kiambu)
- Kirinyaga District (Kerugoya/Kutus)
- Murang'a District (Murang'a)
- Nyandarua District (Nyahururu)
- Nyeri District (Nyeri)
- Baringo District (Kabarnet)
- Bomet District (Bomet)
- Elgeyo-Marakwet District
- Kajiado District (Kajiado)
- Kericho District (Kericho)
- Laikipia District (Nanyuki)
- Nakuru District (Nakuru)
- Nandi District (Kapsabet)
- Narok District (Narok)
- Samburu District (Maralal)
- Trans Nzoia District (Kitale)
- Turkana District (Lodwar)
- Uasin Gishu District (Eldoret)
- West Pokot District (Kapenguria)
- Homa Bay District (Homa Bay)
- Kisii)
- Kisumu District (Kisumu)
- Migori District (Migori)
- Nyamira District (Nyamira)
- Siaya District (Siaya)
All these 46 districts (plus Nairobi) have been replaced with 47 counties since March 2013, promoting them as the first level of administrative subdivisions of the country, and the 8 former provinces (which were the first level of subdivisions) have been dissolved.
New districts started to be created by President Moi, and there were up to 57 districts in 2003 when President Kibaki first came into office.
List of the 70 districts of Kenya (starting 2007)
In early January 2007, 37 new districts were created by the government from the 14 former districts, rising their number to 70.[7][8]
- Baringo District (Kabarnet)
- Bomet District (Bomet)
- Bondo District (Bondo)
- Bungoma District (Bungoma)
- Buret District (Litein)
- Busia (Busia)
- Butere/Mumias District (Butere)
- Embu District (Embu)
- Garissa District (Garissa)
- Gucha District (Ogembo)
- Homa Bay District (Homa Bay)
- Ijara District (Ijara)
- Isiolo District (Isiolo)
- Kajiado District (Kajiado)
- Kakamega District (Kakamega)
- Keiyo District (Iten/Tambach)
- Kericho District (Kericho)
- Kiambu District (Kiambu)
- Kilifi District (Kilifi)
- Kirinyaga District (Kerugoya/Kutus)
- Kisii)
- Kisumu District (Kisumu)
- Kitui District (Kitui)
- Koibatek District (Eldama Ravine)
- Kuria District (Kehancha)
- Kwale District (Kwale)
- Laikipia District (Nanyuki)
- Lamu District (Lamu)
- Lugari District (Lugari)
- Machakos District (Machakos)
- Makueni)
- Malindi District (Malindi)
- Mandera District (Mandera)
- Maragua District (Maragua)
- Marakwet District (Kapsowar)
- Marsabit District (Marsabit)
- Mbeere)
- Meru Central District (Meru)
- Meru North District (Maua)
- Meru South District (Chuka)
- Migori District (Migori)
- Mombasa District (Mombasa)
- Mount Elgon District (Mount Elgon)
- Moyale District (Moyale)
- Murang'a District (Murang'a)
- Mwingi District (Mwingi)
- Nairobi District (Nairobi)
- Nakuru District (Nakuru)
- Nandi (Kapsabet)
- Narok District (Narok)
- Nyamira District (Nyamira)
- Nyandarua District (Ol Kalou)
- Nyando District (Awasi)
- Nyeri District (Nyeri)
- Rachuonyo District (Oyugis)
- Samburu District (Maralal)
- Siaya District (Siaya)
- Mbita)
- Taita-Taveta District (Wundanyi)
- Tana River District (Tana River)
- Teso District (Malaba)
- Tharaka District (Tharaka)
- Thika District (Thika)
- Trans Mara District (Kilgoris)
- Trans Nzoia District (Kitale)
- Turkana District (Lodwar)
- Uasin Gishu District (Eldoret)
- Vihiga District (Vihiga)
- Wajir District (Wajir)
- West Pokot District (Kapenguria)
- Arabia (Mandera)
More recent (defunct) districts (after 2007 up to March 2013)
Many more districts have been created since then, such that in July 2009 there were 254 districts (an up to 256 districts plus Nairobi on 20 September 2009, when the High Court outlawed 210 of them).[9]
The creation of new districts has been criticised by opponents for being waste of money and a populist attempt to please local residents. The government, however, say new districts bring services closer to the people and will provide security.[9]
The following list contains 208 districts, taken from a Kenyan government website in July 2009 (the list is incomplete, but their number stopped growing after the High Court decision in September 2009):[10]
Sub-counties (since March 2013)
In August 2009, however, the
All the former districts have disappeared (as well as the former 8 provinces whose devolution was transferred to the new 47 counties), and are now considered only as "sub-counties", without autonomy; they are used in urban areas for a limited organisation for providing public services locally. These remaining sub-counties are transitional and could be replaced by more efficient cooperative structures grouping the local services in organised cities and their surrounding towns, either for dedicated missions or for temporary plans; so they may be deeply reorganised or disappear at any time. The remaining sub-counties already do not match with the subdivision of the new 47 counties into electoral-only "wards" (based on resident population, to determine the number of elected seats for each county in the National Senate.
Nairobi sub-counties
References
- ^ Decentralized Units, Section 48 (1) (b) County Governments Act 2012
- ^ "Kenya Gazette dated 2nd April, 1963" (PDF). Gazettes.Africa. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
- ^ Momanyi, Bernard (11 May 2012). "Kibaki names 47 County Commissioners". Capital News. Archived from the original on 14 March 2021. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
- ^ Decentralized Units, Section 48 (2) County Government Act, 2012
- ^ Office of the sub-county administrator, section 50, County Government Act 2012
- ^ Nyasato, Robert (5 September 2009). "High Court outlaws 210 districts created by Moi and Kibaki since 1992". The Standard. Archived from the original on 1 July 2014.
- ^ List of the new districts from the website of the Kenyan embassy in Germany (pdf)[dead link]
- ^ "Newspaper report on the new districts (Kibaki Gives Kenya 37 New Districts – Jan 19, 2007)". Propertykenya.com. Archived from the original on 24 July 2009. Retrieved 18 October 2010.
- ^ a b "All constituencies now turned into districts". Daily Nation. Retrieved 18 October 2010.
- ^ Office of Public Communications: List of Provinces, Districts & Contacts Archived 15 July 2013 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ The Standard, 27 September 2009: After Ringera, House to take on Kibaki over new districts