CoG unveils road map to 2025 Devolution conference

CoG vice chairperson Governor Mutahi Kahiga/COG

The governors have unveiled the roadmap to the 2025 devolution conference to showcase devolution successes and discuss the teething challenges.

The Council of Governors announced that the bi-annual conference will take place in Homa Bay, from August 12 to 14.

The last conference was held in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County in 2023.

“This is one of the most important tools to showcase Devolution in Kenya. Importantly, it serves as a platform for knowledge sharing to enhance the implementation of Devolution in Kenya,” CoG vice chairperson Mutahi Kahiga said.

Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga is the co-chairperson of the Multi-Agency Steering Committee meeting charged with planning and ensuring the success of the event.

The Committee is composed of the Council of Governors, the Office of the Deputy President, represented by Devolution PS, the Senate, the County Assemblies Forum, the host County, the Youth Council, Kenya Private Sector Alliance and community-based organisations.

The 2025 Devolution Conference is themed; For the People; For Prosperity: Devolution as a Catalyst for Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice” and the sub-theme “Re-engineering County Governments to Accelerate Development and Close the Socio-Economic Divide”.

Kahiga said that this year’s conference will be opened up to include partner-led side events.

“Further, to ensure the side events meet the standards of the conference, a scientific committee, will be constituted to vet proposals from partners and interested parties,” he said.

In addition, the committee disclosed that registration for participants will start in March.

A state-of-the-art website and mobile application are currently being developed to enhance the delegates' experience during the conference with all the logistics about the conference to be available to the participants.

Additionally, Homa Bay County will curate various activities – cultural and tourist – that the delegates can partake in while at the conference and the same will be uploaded to the DEVCON website.

The committee approved the frame of the Conference, the theme colours and the budget for the critical platform.

“We expect the platform will offer an opportunity to learn, network and forge partnerships that will advance the Devolution discourse in Kenya,” he said.

The Conference will bring together state and non-state actors and will be planned and guided by the Committee.