The County Government of Siaya hosted a delegation from the State Department for Devolution, led by Dr. Margaret Githinji, to prepare for the Annual Assessment Program scheduled for October, November, and December 2025. This assessment will determine the county’s eligibility for Level I and II Kenya Devolution Support Program (KDSP) funds.
The delegation provided technical support to assess the county’s progress in meeting the minimum conditions for KDSP eligibility, identify gaps, and chart a path forward to qualify for the grant. The County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Education, Gender, Youth Affairs and Social Services Dr. Edgar Otumba officially opened the meeting, reaffirming the county’s strong commitment to the program and its determination to meet all required conditions to secure the funding.
The Chief Officer for Governance, Administration, and ICT, Hon. Walter Okelo, who also serves as the program’s Accounting Officer, commended the State Department for Devolution team and underscored the county’s dedication to fulfilling the requirements. Hon. Okelo highlighted the progress made despite challenges, noting that the lack of access to funds in the recently concluded financial year was a significant setback. He emphasized that the program’s goal of delivering effective and efficient services to the people remains the key driver of the county’s achievements.
During the exercise, the Program Implementation Unit reviewed the Disbursement-Linked Indicators and minimum conditions. It was noted that Siaya County has met several requirements, including full automation of own-source revenue, uploading payroll to the HRIS system, clearing 51% of pending bills from the previous financial year, implementing performance management, and operationalizing structures for the program.
Areas identified for improvement before the assessment include uploading approved Level 1 and Level 2 budgets and workplans, developing a county dashboard, conducting a stocktake of projects and plans, training gender officers, and implementing the SRC Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) plan, among others.
Dr. Githinji noted that Siaya County is on the right trajectory to qualify for the KDSP funds, requiring only minor adjustments to address the highlighted gaps, which constitute a small fraction of the conditions. She was accompanied by Ms. Celestine Yatta and Ms. Zara Ibrahim from the State Department for Devolution.
Siaya County has designated the Mother and Baby Inpatient Unit, a component of the new Modern County Referral Hospital complex, as its investment project for the KDSP.
With time running short, the delegation outlined a roadmap for the Nyalore administration to address these gaps in the coming weeks. By focusing on these key areas, Siaya County is well-positioned to secure the necessary funding to advance its development projects.