Knowing who is responsible for what makes it much easier to get things done, and to understand the news. Kenya’s system is set out in the 2010 Constitution.

Two levels of government

  • The national government handles things such as defence, foreign affairs, immigration, national roads, tax, police, universities and most of the national agencies this site mentions - KRA, NTSA, NSSF and SHA.
  • County governments - there are 47 - handle local services such as health facilities, county roads, markets, business permits, parking, rubbish collection and pre-primary education.

The national government

  • The President is head of state and government, elected every five years with a Deputy President, and appoints the Cabinet Secretaries who run ministries.
  • Parliament has two houses: the National Assembly, with members elected from the 290 constituencies plus women representatives from each county, and the Senate, which represents the counties.
  • The Judiciary is independent, with the Supreme Court at the top. The Employment and Labour Relations Court and the Environment and Land Court handle those specialist disputes.

Nairobi City County

Nairobi is both the capital and one of the 47 counties. It has:

  • A Governor, elected every five years, who runs county services.
  • A County Assembly of Members of County Assembly (MCAs), one per ward.
  • 17 constituencies, each with a Member of Parliament - see the map.

County services - parking, business permits, land rates and markets - are paid for mostly through eCitizen and the county’s own systems.

Elections

General elections are held every five years in August, when voters choose the President, governors, senators, MPs, women representatives and MCAs on the same day. The next is due in August 2027. Elections are run by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC). Only citizens can vote.

Election periods can be tense. Follow official news, avoid rallies and protests, and keep some cash and supplies at home in the days around polling. See Staying safe.

Independent offices

Several bodies check the government, including the Auditor-General, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA).

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