VILLAGE ADMINISTRATION AND COMMUNITY AREAS PUBLIC PARTICIPATION JUST CONCLUDED
Kakamega County Administrative Boundaries Committee has just concluded its first public participation to its residents in their respective wards which has lasted 16 days. The participation involved civic education and plenary sessions for the residents.
This public participation by the residents was meant to provide guidelines aimed at providing detailed instructions for both the County Administrative Boundaries Committee and the co-opted Sub-County Committees on the criteria to be used when creating administrative units (Villages and Community areas) in the County.
The guidelines are put in two sections. The first section outlines duties, responsibilities and guiding principles for the County Boundaries Committee whereas the second section outlines the duties, responsibilities and guiding principles for the Sub-County Committees.
Legal framework is important in this exercise since it provides the legal statutes which are the basis for conducting this exercise of the creation of Villages and community areas. Clause 8(c) of the Fourth schedule of the Constitution of Kenya mandates counties to undertake demarcation of boundaries as one of the devolved functions.
The County Government Act 2012 Section 52(1) states that there will be an established office of
Village administrator for each village unit established in a Countyβ and Section 54(1) states that;
βThere shall be such further structures of decentralization including locations and sub-locations
As may be provided for in County legislationβ.
The Kakamega County Administrative Units and Boundaries Act, 2015 and its amendment, the
Kakamega County Administrative Units and Boundaries (Amendment) Act, 2016 provides for
The establishment of the County Administrative Boundaries Committee, tasked with the
Responsibility of demarcating and naming administrative units which includes villages and
Community areas. The Act further sets out the criteria for demarcation of the said administrative
Units.