Each Constituency Should Become a Sub-County – Ruto Issues New Directive to PS Omollo
by The Misfit on Sunday, 15 September 2024
On Sunday, President William Ruto issued a directive to Principal Secretary (PS) Raymond Omollo of the Ministry of Interior and National Administration, instructing him to initiate the process of elevating constituencies into sub-counties.
President Ruto delivered this directive during a service at Stewards Revival Pentecostal Church in Nairobi. The move supports a proposal put forward by Embakasi West MP Mark Mwenje, who had urged the Head of State to upgrade constituencies to sub-counties to improve service delivery and enhance efficiency in government recruitment processes.
“I have agreed with your MP that each constituency be elevated into a sub-county. PS Omollo, go and implement the proposal,” President Ruto stated.
Interior PS Raymond Omollo was previously seen speaking to the press during the inspection of Moi Stadium in Embu County on February 21, 2023.
The proposal by MP Mwenje highlights issues related to service delivery and equal opportunities for residents. He cited examples from Nairobi, where neighboring sub-counties are often divided by roads, complicating access to government services.
“When you are at Kariobangi South Ward, you are in Kamukunji Sub-county. Cross the road, and you enter Ruai Sub-county. In Umoja, you are in Embakasi Sub-county,” Mwenje explained.
He noted that this geographical division can force residents to travel between different District Commissioners (DCs) depending on their location, thereby complicating access to essential services.
MP Mwenje further criticized the current system for its impact on government recruitment. He pointed out that sub-county boundaries often determine the allocation of vacancies, which can disadvantage residents in multi-constituency areas.
“For instance, when recruiting for government jobs such as teachers, military officers, or National Youth Service (NYS) positions, the slots are often distributed according to sub-counties,” Mwenje said.
He illustrated the issue with the example of the Junior Secondary School (JSS) teacher recruitment process, where sometimes only a few slots are available despite the large number of constituencies within a sub-county. Embakasi Sub-County, which encompasses four constituencies, and Ruai Sub-County, with five constituencies, often leave many residents without opportunities due to the current system.
MP Mwenje’s appeal is for each constituency, like Embakasi West, to be designated as its own sub-county, potentially simplifying boundaries and improving access to services.
Currently, Kenya has 290 constituencies led by MPs and 314 sub-counties overseen by deputy county commissioners.
