Updated data will help counties to pull the people out of poverty

Whenever I attend forums related to county governments, the issue of whether “devolution is working” always comes up, somehow. And the response is usually in the affirmative and “it is a good thing for Kenya”.

Indeed, devolution works and it’s good that Kenyans resolved that we needed another level of government so that all of us can, as politicians are wont to say, “bring development closer to the people”.

But while a few counties have stood out for their exceptional development and progress, each one of the 47 devolved units has made strides in their own way.

But for a county that clearly and honestly wants its people to progress, it’s important that the leadership comes up with a proper plan and strategy to reach out to families in a bid to ensure prosperity for all.

Improving the standards of living for all Kenyans is the key reason we settled on devolution, so that it could be an equaliser in terms of development.

Granted, there are millions of my fellow citizens who are just beginning to feel a part of Kenya after having been marginalised and isolated for years as development was concentrated in certain areas.

However, to be able to work towards giving their people quality life, devolved units must go out of their way to strategise — if they are truly keen on having all their constituents lead prosperous lives, especially those in rural areas and the so-called urban poor.

As such, counties need to design solutions that work. And this is where collection of proper data comes in, as a first step towards growth and the noble service of changing lives.

Most counties are sitting on potential resources, which also include the people, and if collated, can help in making decisions and better choices for progress.

The private sector, for instance, would be keen on getting proper data in order to make decisions on investing in devolved units.

Laikipia County, which aspires to be “the greatest county with the best quality of life”, just released its statistics report for this year, becoming the first devolved unit to do so.

The Laikipia County Statistical Abstract 2019, launched last Friday and produced in partnership with the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), is a comprehensive report that contains rich information on the county.

A thorough and impressive piece of work, the report explains in detail different aspects of the county’s diversified economy.

Agriculture, which is valued at Sh35 billion, is listed as the lead sector, contributing 44 per cent of the gross county product (GCP).

Laikipia’s total GCP is Sh81 billion. Other top sectors are wholesale and retail, financial and insurance services, public administration and defence, transport and storage, as well as construction.

As Laikipia Governor Ndiritu Muriithi said at the launch, the abstract is very useful in providing the government and private sector with not only an insightful understanding of the county’s economy but also the socio-economic progress of the people.

The figures in the report contribute to the county’s endeavour to “consistently” use verifiable evidence to make “informed” decisions, according to the governor.

These decisions, for instance, would lead to a decision to focus on certain sectors or products with indications that the devolved unit can produce competitively.

The other counties need to follow suit and publish their statistical abstracts and data to guide them in making decisions that affect their people’s welfare.

In addition, as in the Laikipia case, it would pay to get various experts to give their input.

If there is one area that urgently needs real data in the counties for the survival of the country, it’s the choice of economic activity, especially reliance on rain-fed agriculture.

The change in the weather patterns in regions across the country has hit the people hard.