Sub-Counties of Kenya

Sub-counties, formerly known as Districts, are the decentralised units through which government of Kenya provides functions and services.[1] Except for the parts which fall under urban areas, sub-counties will coincide with the constituencies created under article 89 of the Constitution of Kenya.[2] Most sub-counties have a sub-county administrator, appointed by a County Public Service Board.[3] Even though the sub-counties are divisions of counties, powers to create new sub-counties lies with the national government. As of 2023, there are 314 sub-counties, compared to 290 constituencies. A deputy county commissioner is appointed by the state to lead each sub-county.

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Districts were introduced in Kenya by the colonial government for ease control and management of the colony. The number of districts in Kenya through the colonial period varied. Headed by District Commissioners (DC), districts were the second level of administration after the provinces. In 1962, as the colony was transitioning to self-rule, the colonial government redrew the districts and capped them at forty, in addition to the Nairobi Area.[4] By 1992, six more districts had been created by splitting some of the existing districts. By the start of the 21st century more districts have been created. By 2005, seventy two districts were in existence, and by 2010, Kenya had 265 districts. In 2009, the High Court declared all districts created after 1992 unlawful, though they remained functional.

Under the former Constitution of Kenya, the Provinces of Kenya were subdivided into a number of districts (wilaya). In line with restructuring the national administration to fit with the devolved government system brought in by the 2010 Constitution, that came into full effect following elections in March 2013, the 8 provinces and their administrators and districts were replaced by County Commissioners at the county level, while former districts existing as of 2013 were re-organised as sub-counties, and had Deputy Commissioners appointed over them.[5]

List of the 46 districts plus the capital of Kenya (since 1992, but prior to 2003)

Following a High Court ruling in September 2009, there were 46 legal districts in Kenya,[6] excluding Nairobi which constituted a 47th district.

Following the Kenyan general election, 2013, these districts and Nairobi now constitute the 47 counties which will be the basis for rolling out devolution as set out in the 2010 Constitution of Kenya (district headquarters are in parentheses):

Coast Province:

North Eastern Province:

Eastern Province:

Central Province:

Rift Valley Province:

Western Province:

Nyanza Province:

All these 46 districts (plus Nairobi) have been replaced with 47 counties since March 2013, promoting them as the first level of administrative subdivisions of the country, and the 8 former provinces (which were the first level of subdivisions) have been dissolved.

New districts started to be created by President Moi, and there were up to 57 districts in 2003 when President Kibaki first came into office.

List of the 70 districts of Kenya (starting 2007)

In early January 2007, 37 new districts were created by the government from the 14 former districts, rising their number to 70.[7][8]

More recent (defunct) districts (after 2007 up to March 2013)

Many more districts have been created since then, such that in July 2009 there were 254 districts (an up to 256 districts plus Nairobi on 20 September 2009, when the High Court outlawed 210 of them).[9]

The creation of new districts has been criticised by opponents for being waste of money and a populist attempt to please local residents. The government, however, say new districts bring services closer to the people and will provide security.[9]

The following list contains 208 districts, taken from a Kenyan government website in July 2009 (the list is incomplete, but their number stopped growing after the High Court decision in September 2009):[10]

Districts Headquarters
Central Province
Gatanga District–
Gatundu DistrictGatundu
Githunguri DistrictGithunguri
Kabete District–
Kandara District–
Kiambaa DistrictKiambu
Kiambu East DistrictKiambu
Kiambu West DistrictLimuru
Kieni West DistrictChaka
Kieni East DistrictChaka
Kigumo District–
Kipipiri District–
Kirinyaga Central District–
Kirinyaga East DistrictKerugoya
Kirinyaga South District–
Kirinyaga West District–
Lari District–
Mirangini District–
Mukurweini DistrictMukurweini
Muranga East DistrictMuranga
Muranga South DistrictKenol
Nyandarua Central DistrictOl Kalou
Nyandarua North DistrictNyahururu
Nyandarua South DistrictEngineer
Nyandarua West District–
Nyeri Central DistrictNyeri
Nyeri East DistrictKaratina
Nyeri South DistrictNyeri
Ruiru District–
Thika East DistrictThika
Thika West District–
Coast Province
Kaloleni DistrictKizurini
Kilifi DistrictKilifi
Kilindini DistrictDongo Kundu
Kinango DistrictKinango
Kwale DistrictKwale
Lamu DistrictLamu
Malindi DistrictMalindi
Mombasa DistrictMombasa
Msabweni DistrictMsambweni
Taita DistrictWundanyi
Tana Delta District–
Tana River DistrictHola
Taveta DistrictTaveta
Eastern Province
Buuri DistrictTimau
Embu East DistrictRúnyenjes
Embu West DistrictEmbu
Garbatula DistrictGarbatula
Igembe North DistrictLaare
Igembe South DistrictMaua
Imenti North DistrictMeru
Imenti South DistrictNkubu
Isiolo DistrictIsiolo
Kangundo DistrictKangundo
Kathiani District–
Kathonzweni District–
Kibwezi DistrictMakindu
Kilungu District–
Kitui Central DistrictKitui
Kitui West District–
Kyuso DistrictKyuso
Maara DistrictKieganguru
Machakos DistrictMachakos
Makueni DistrictWote
Marsabit DistrictMarsabit
Marsabit North DistrictMalkona
Marsabit South DistrictLaisamis
Masinga District–
Matungulu District–
Mbeere North DistrictSiakago
Mbeere South DistrictKírítirí
Mbooni East DistrictMbumbuni
Mbooni West DistrictMbooni
Meru Central DistrictGatimbi
Meru South DistrictChuka
Moyale DistrictMoyale
Mukaa District–
Mutitu District–
Mutomo DistrictMutomo
Mwala District–
Mwingi DistrictMwingi
Nzaui District–
Tharaka North DistrictMarimanti
Tharaka South District–
Tigania East DistrictMuriri
Tigania West DistrictUrru
Yatta DistrictKithimani
Nairobi Province
Nairobi East DistrictKomarock
Nairobi North DistrictKasarani
Nairobi West DistrictNdararua/J.Kangethe
Westlands District–
North Eastern Province
Fafi DistrictBura
Garissa DistrictGarissa
Ijara DistrictMasaini
Lagdera DistrictModogashe
Mandera Central DistrictMandera
Mandera East DistrictEl Wak
Mandera North DistrictRhamu
Mandera West DistrictTabaka
Wajir East DistrictWajir
Wajir North DistrictBute
Wajir South DistrictHabaswein
Wajir West DistrictGritu
Nyanza Province
Bondo DistrictBondo
Borabu DistrictNyansiongo
Gucha DistrictOgembo
Homa Bay DistrictHoma Bay
Kanyanya District–
Kisii Central DistrictKisii
Kisii South DistrictKerina
Kisumu East DistrictHolo
Kisumu West DistrictKisumu
Kuria East DistrictKegonga
Kuria West DistrictKehancha
Manga DistrictManga
Marani District–
Masaba DistrictKeroka
Mbita District–
Migori DistrictMigori
Ndhiwa DistrictNdhiwa
North Masaba District–
Nyakach DistrictPap Ondit
Nyamache District–
Nyamira DistrictNyamira
Nyamira North District–
Nyando DistrictAwasi
Nyatike DistrictMacaider
Rachuonyo North District–
Rachuonyo South District–
Rarieda DistrictMadiany
Rongo DistrictRongo
Siaya DistrictSiaya
South Gucha DistrictNyamarambe
Suba DistrictMbita
Uriri District–
Rift Valley Province
Baringo Central DistrictKabarnet
Baringo North DistrictKabartonjo
Bomet DistrictBomet
Buret DistrictLitein
East Pokot DistrictChemlingot
Eldoret East DistrictNaiberi
Eldoret West DistrictEldoret
Kajiado North DistrictKajiado
Kajiado South District–
Keiyo DistrictIten
Kericho DistrictKericho
Kipkelion DistrictKipkelion
Koibatek DistrictEldama Ravine
Kwanza DistrictEndebess
Laikipia Central District–
Laikipia East DistrictNanyuki
Laikipia North DistrictMukogodo
Laikipia West DistrictRumuruti
Loima District–
Loitoktok DistrictLoitoktok
Marakwet DistrictKapsowar
Marigat District–
Mogotio District–
Molo DistrictMolo
Naivasha DistrictNaivasha
Nakuru DistrictNakuru Town
Nakuru North DistrictBahati
Nandi Central DistrictKapsabet
Nandi East District-
Nandi North DistrictKabiyet
Nandi South DistrictKabujoi
Narok North DistrictNarok
Narok South DistrictOlulunga
Njoro District–
North Pokot DistrictKacheliba
Nyahururu DistrictNyahururu
Pokot Central DistrictSighor
Samburu Central DistrictMaralal
Samburu East DistrictWamba
Samburu North DistrictBaragoi
Sotik DistrictSotik
Tinderet DistrictMaraba
Trans Nzoia East DistrictMaili Saba
Trans Nzoia West DistrictKitale
Trans Mara DistrictKilgoris
Turkana Central DistrictLodwar
Turkana East District–
Turkana North DistrictLokitaung
Turkana South DistrictLokichar
Turkana West District–
Wareng DistrictKesses
West Pokot DistrictKapenguria
Western Province
Bungoma Central DistrictChwele
Bungoma East DistrictWebuye
Bungoma North DistrictKimilili
Bungoma South DistrictBungoma
Bungoma West DistrictSirisia
Bunyula DistrictBudalangi
Busia DistrictBusia
Butere DistrictButere
Emuhaya DistrictKima
Hamisi DistrictHamisi
Kakamega Central DistrictKakamega
Kakamega East DistrictShinyalu
Kakamega North DistrictMalava
Kakamega South DistrictMalinya
Lugari DistrictLumakanda
Mt. Elgon DistrictKapsokwony
Mumias DistrictMumias
Samia DistrictFunyula
Teso North DistrictAmagoro
Teso South DistrictAmakura
Vihiga DistrictMbale

Sub-counties (since March 2013)

In August 2009, however, the High Court of Kenya declared all districts created after 1992 illegal. The judge stated that the districts were created "in complete disregard of the law". As a result, Kenya had only 46 legal districts (excluding Nairobi with its special constitutional status as the capital of the country).[11] Following the March 2013 elections, these 46 districts – together with the City of Nairobi – constitute the 47 counties into which Kenya is now divided administratively, and they are also the 47 constituencies for the elections to the National Senate.

All the former districts have disappeared (as well as the former 8 provinces whose devolution was transferred to the new 47 counties), and are now considered only as "sub-counties", without autonomy; they are used in urban areas for a limited organisation for providing public services locally. These remaining sub-counties are transitional and could be replaced by more efficient cooperative structures grouping the local services in organised cities and their surrounding towns, either for dedicated missions or for temporary plans; so they may be deeply reorganised or disappear at any time. The remaining sub-counties already do not match with the subdivision of the new 47 counties into electoral-only "wards" (based on resident population, to determine the number of elected seats for each county in the National Senate.

Nairobi sub-counties

References
  1. Decentralized Units, Section 48 (1) (b) County Governments Act 2012
  2. Decentralized Units, Section 48 (2) County Government Act, 2012
  3. Office of the sub-county administrator, section 50, County Government Act 2012
  4. "Kenya Gazette dated 2nd April, 1963" (PDF). Gazettes.Africa. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  5. Momanyi, Bernard (11 May 2012). "Kibaki names 47 County Commissioners". Capital News. Archived from the original on 14 March 2021. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  6. Nyasato, Robert (5 September 2009). "High Court outlaws 210 districts created by Moi and Kibaki since 1992". The Standard. Archived from the original on 1 July 2014.
  7. List of the new districts from the website of the Kenyan embassy in Germany (pdf)
  8. "Newspaper report on the new districts (Kibaki Gives Kenya 37 New Districts – Jan 19, 2007)". Propertykenya.com. Archived from the original on 24 July 2009. Retrieved 18 October 2010.
  9. "All constituencies now turned into districts". Daily Nation. Retrieved 18 October 2010.
  10. Office of Public Communications: List of Provinces, Districts & Contacts Archived 15 July 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  11. The Standard, 27 September 2009: After Ringera, House to take on Kibaki over new districts

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