The release of the Rapid Assessment on Automation of Service Delivery and Employment Creation by Counties, an initiative of the Kenya Vision 2030 Delivery Secretariat.

The State Department for Devolution Principal Secretary, Michael Loikenu Lenasalon, today attended the release of the Rapid Assessment on Automation of Service Delivery and Employment Creation by Counties, an initiative of the Kenya Vision 2030 Delivery Secretariat.
Speaking during the event, PS Lenasalon commended the Vision 2030 Delivery Board and the Secretariat for their steadfast commitment to tracking devolution progress and strengthening accountability through evidence-based assessments, terming the report “timely and consequential.”
“I encourage county governments to use this ranking objectively. Let us identify gaps and implement corrective measures grounded in data and performance metrics. The National Government remains a committed partner in strengthening devolution,” said PS Lenasalon.
In his remarks, Director General Kenneth Mwige noted that the assessment ranked counties based on automation of services, e-government adoption and employment creation, while also identifying systemic bottlenecks and proposing strategies to enhance service delivery.
The study utilized exploratory research techniques, including desk reviews of secondary data from county websites, Office of the Controller of Budget reports, and the Council of Governors’ Maarifa Centre, with data triangulated to strengthen reliability.
Counties were evaluated on citizen experience, safety and reliability of County Revenue Management Systems, data use and innovation and employment creation.
Ranking first among the 47 counties was Murang’a County that scored 98.3% followed by the counties of Nakuru (87.3%), Kiambu (83.9%), Kisumu (81.2%), Meru and Nairobi (80.3%), with Machakos (80%) closing out the top 7 counties that scored 80% and above. 
Counties exhibiting a heavy reliance of manual and cash-based systems, limited automation of core services as well as minimal evidence of structured employment creation initiatives, scoring below 40% were the counties of Baringo (38.7%), Marsabit (38.4%), Tana River (35.8%), West Pokot (35.1%), Garissa (30.1%) and Wajir (28.8%).
The study observed:
• Absence of a legal framework compelling county government automation
• High implementation costs of digital systems
• Overreliance on manual and cash-based systems in some counties
• Dependence on National Government and development partners and few county-led economic activities
The assessment recommends further evaluation to measure the long-term impact of automation and employment creation initiatives.
PS Lenasalon was accompanied by the Director for Partnerships and Intergovernmental Relations, Lesley Khayadi, and Assistant Director, Devolution Affairs, Frederick Kanini.