The Ministry of Interior and National Administration is now seeking Sh3 billion to operationalise eight out of a total of 24 newly gazetted sub-counties.

According to Internal Security and National Administration Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo, the government will only operationalise these eight by the end of the current financial year, having abandoned its initial plan to implement all the 24 due to budgetary constraints.

Appearing before the National Assembly Administration and Internal Security Committee, the PS stated that priority in operationalisation would be given to regions experiencing persistent security threats.

Omollo also emphasised the urgency of securing funds in time to facilitate the deployment of officers in volatile areas.

“We have only a few months left until the end of the financial year, yet we haven’t made significant progress on our commitments due to budgetary constraints,” he stated.

Notably, the Ministry of Interior has been allocated Sh616 million in the 2025/2026 Budget Policy Statement to support the expansion of administrative units. However, the PS noted that an additional Sh3 billion is required to clear the backlog and ensure all gazetted sub-counties become fully operational.

The committee was informed that previous funding commitments by the National Treasury had not been remitted to the ministry. Omollo told the House team that the government had initially planned for financial support through Supplementary Budget 2, with the Treasury committing to allocate Sh250 billion.

However, the requisite funds were not provided, delaying the operationalisation process.

“In Supplementary Budget 2, we had discussions with the Treasury, and they had committed to giving us Sh250 billion. But when it was passed, the allocations were not provided to facilitate the process,” said the PS.

He further stated that despite financial challenges, 16 out of the 24 newly gazetted sub-counties have been operationalised. He called for a structured approach in creating new administrative units.

The PS also raised concerns over existing anomalies, such as cases where a single Deputy County Commissioner (DCC) and Assistant County Commissioner (ACC) oversee the same administrative unit, leading to overlapping responsibilities. He assured the committee that measures were being taken to rectify this issue and enhance efficiency.

“We have also encountered anomalies where a single division and sub-County exist within the same jurisdiction, resulting in one DCC and ACC superintending over the same administrative unit. We are working to correct this and ensure such situations do not arise again,” Omollo submitted.

Legislators, however, raised concerns over the haphazard creation and operationalisation of sub-counties, accusing the government of political interference and favouritism in the process. They questioned the rationale behind the establishment of some administrative units while others, gazetted years earlier, remain non-operational.

‘‘The issue of sub-counties is politically driven and discriminatory. That’s where the problem lies—units are created arbitrarily, not necessarily where they are needed. As a result, we have sub-counties in places that do not require them, while truly deserving areas remain neglected,” said Kisumu East MP Rosa Buyu.

The MP argued that administrative units are often prioritised in regions without pressing needs, while those facing serious challenges remain unaddressed.

Laikipia West MP Sarah Korere called for a review of “contentious” administrative units.

“If certain administrative units were wrongly gazetted, there is no issue with de-gazetting them,” she stated.

Saku MP Dido Rasso criticised the uneven distribution of administrative units within counties, warning that the imbalance could lead to potential conflicts.