County Government of Siaya
Office of the County Attorney
Velma Maumo
County Attorney
The Office serves as the principal legal adviser to the County Government and provides legal representation, legislative drafting, governance support, and legal risk management.
Core Functions of the Office of the County Attorney
1 Principal Legal Adviser
- Advise the Governor, County Executive Committee (CEC), departments, and county entities on legal matters.
- Provide legal opinions on policy, contracts, governance, and statutory compliance.
2 Legal Representation
- Represent the County Government in courts, tribunals, arbitration, and alternative dispute resolution (ADR).
- Instruct and supervise external advocates where necessary.
3 Legislative Drafting
- Draft County Bills, Regulations, Rules, Policies, and Legal Notices.
- Review legislative proposals before submission to the County Assembly.
- Ensure county legislation complies with the Constitution and national laws.
4 Contract Management
- Vet and approve contracts, MoUs, agreements, leases, and other legal instruments.
- Ensure contracts adequately protect county interests.
- Advise on contract interpretation and disputes.
5 Legal Compliance
- Ensure county operations comply with constitutional, statutory, and regulatory requirements.
- Monitor implementation of new legislation affecting county government.
6 Governance and Constitutional Advice
- Advise on constitutional issues.
- Guide departments on lawful exercise of powers.
- Support implementation of good governance, accountability, and the rule of law.
7 Litigation Management
- Coordinate all litigation involving the County Government.
- Maintain a litigation database.
- Monitor court cases and implementation of judgments.
- Recommend settlement of disputes where appropriate.
8 Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)
- Promote mediation, negotiation, and arbitration.
- Reduce litigation costs through amicable settlement mechanisms.
9 Legal Risk Management
- Identify legal risks across county operations.
- Develop mitigation strategies.
- Advise departments before major projects or decisions.
10 Policy and Legal Reform
- Participate in policy formulation.
- Review existing county laws.
- Recommend amendments to improve governance and service delivery.
11 Support to County Executive
- Attend County Executive Committee meetings when required.
- Provide legal guidance during policy deliberations.
- Prepare legal briefs for executive decisions.
12 Advisory on Public Procurement
- Advise on procurement laws.
- Review procurement contracts.
- Handle procurement-related disputes.
13 Land and Property Legal Services
- Advise on land acquisition, leases, easements, and compensation.
- Resolve land-related legal disputes involving county property.
14 Employment and Labour Matters
- Advise on employment law.
- Represent the county in labour disputes.
- Support disciplinary and human resource processes.
15 Public Interest Litigation
- Protect county interests in constitutional and public interest matters.
- Advise on devolution-related legal issues.
16 Records and Legal Documentation
- Maintain custody of legal documents.
- Manage contract registers.
- Maintain a repository of county legislation and legal opinions.
17 Capacity Building
- Train county staff on legal compliance.
- Develop legal awareness programmes.
- Promote ethics and integrity.
18 Intergovernmental Relations
- Advise on legal aspects of intergovernmental agreements.
- Support collaboration with national government, other counties, and development partners.
19 Support to County Entities
- Provide legal services to county corporations, boards, and committees where applicable.
- Advise on establishment and governance of county entities.
20 Legal Research
- Conduct legal research.
- Monitor court decisions affecting county governments.
- Prepare legal briefs and precedents.