Murang'a Governor Irungu Kang'ata has been ranked the best-performing governor in the most recent Infotrak survey assessing county government performance across Kenya.
The survey evaluated the impact of devolution over the years by examining counties' progress in critical sectors such as education, agriculture, infrastructure, housing, trade, tourism, and energy.
Top Performers
- Kang'ata led with an 80% performance score.
- Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya followed at 76%.
- Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi secured 71%.
Other notable governors in the top 10 include Homa Bay's Gladys Wanga and Makueni's Mutula Kilonzo Jr (both at 66%), Elgeyo Marakwet's Wesley Rotich, Kisumu's Anyang' Nyong'o, West Pokot's Simon Kachapin (each 65%), and Kisii's Simba Arati alongside Samburu's Jonathan Lelelit (both 63%).
Sector Highlights
- Murang'a County excelled in service delivery through technology, scoring 51%, the highest among counties.
- The county also topped public fund management with 47%, ahead of Kisii (44%) and Kiambu (43%).
- In bringing services closer to residents, Murang'a and Trans Nzoia tied at 50%, just behind Kiambu at 51%.
Additional Insights
Notably, Nairobi County and Governor Johnson Sakaja were absent from the top 25 rankings. The survey highlighted key factors shaping Kenyans' assessment of leaders: fulfillment of campaign promises (41.5%), transparency and accountability (35.1%), initiation of development projects (29.8%), and prudent use of county funds (28.4%).
Infotrak conducted the survey with a sample size of 36,200 respondents across all 47 counties.
Political Context
Kang'ata, who recently left the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), is seeking to retain his seat on the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) ticket ahead of the upcoming elections.
