Why Marginalization Is No Longer a Valid Excuse in the Era of Devolution
The claim that certain regions remain underdeveloped because they are still marginalized no longer stands when examined against the facts of devolution and actual revenue flows.
Since 2013, Kenya has implemented one of the most redistributive fiscal frameworks on the continent. County governments have received trillions of shillings cumulatively, deliberately structured to favor historically poor, sparsely populated, and geographically vast regions.
The data clearly demonstrates that marginalization, as a fiscal excuse, was substantially addressed through devolution and reinforced by the Constituency Development Fund.
Counties with the highest poverty levels and the greatest historical neglect have not been starved of resources. This redistribution was intentional and constitutionally grounded.
Turkana has received approximately Ksh 132.9 billion, Mandera Ksh 119.7 billion, Wajir Ksh 99.6 billion, Marsabit Ksh 76.4 billion, and Garissa Ksh 81.8 billion between 2013 and 2025.
These allocations are comparable to, and in some cases higher than, counties with stronger economic bases and better infrastructure.
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This was not accidental. The revenue-sharing formula explicitly weighted poverty, land size, and fiscal need to correct historical injustices.
Therefore, when regions that have received such substantial allocations still lack basic institutions like functional hospitals, secure schools, water systems, or passable roads, the explanation cannot honestly be national marginalization.
The money arrived. The constitutional mandate existed. The discretion over priorities rested with county leadership. Devolution shifted the center of accountability from Nairobi to county headquarters, empowering governors, county executives, assemblies, and local oversight institutions.
In parallel, CDF ensured that every constituency, regardless of political alignment or county performance, had direct access to development funds for schools, health facilities, and local infrastructure. Together, these two mechanisms closed the historic pipeline of exclusion.
Continuing to cling to marginalization rhetoric in this context serves one primary purpose: to deflect accountability. It lowers the expectations of citizens and conditions communities to normalize failure.
Instead of demanding answers about stalled projects, inflated procurement costs, or insecurity, citizens are told to blame distant forces.
The data further shows that allocations were not punitive. Even counties with weak administrative capacity or persistent insecurity continued to receive rising allocations across successive revenue-sharing bases. The system prioritized minimum service delivery, not performance.
This means that underdevelopment today is not the result of fiscal discrimination, but of governance outcomes. Where institutions were strengthened, funds translated into services. Where corruption, patronage, and insecurity prevailed, funds produced little lasting impact.
“Devolution solved the access problem; what remains is a leadership and accountability problem.”
It is also important to state clearly that development is not only about how much money a region receives, but how that money is converted into institutions. Counties that invested in health systems, education quality, urban planning, and security attracted professionals and private capital.
Counties that tolerated banditry, ethnic exclusion, and misuse of public funds created environments where even well funded projects could not survive. These are local policy choices, not national punishments, as clearly envisioned under the Constitution of Kenya.
Politicians must stop weaponizing historical marginalization to excuse present failure. The revenue data is clear: money has flowed, consistently and progressively, to every corner of the country. Devolution and CDF solved the access problem.
What remains is a leadership and accountability problem. Denying citizens development today by hiding behind an outdated narrative is not resistance; it is betrayal of the very people devolution was meant to empower.
This article was prepared by the Ramsey Focus Analysis Desk, based on verified reports, independent analysis, and insights to ensure balanced coverage.
