BY KEPHER OTIENO

Residents of Kuria East have expressed their deep gratitude to the government for the creation of 16 new administrative units in the region.

Led by their MP, Marwa Kitayama, they specifically thanked President William Ruto, his Deputy President – the former Interior Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Kithure Kindiki, who had made the promise alongside PS Interior Dr. Omollo to expand administrative units.

They also acknowledged Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi for gazetting a total of 578 new administrative units across Kenya, including 27 sub-counties, 59 divisions170 locations, and 322 sub-locations.

Kitayama highlighted that the establishment of these new units would enhance local economic opportunities and facilitate the decentralized distribution of services to the people, benefiting both residents and the wider community.

The people of Kuria East, along with other regions benefiting from the initiative, expressed their heartfelt appreciation, recognizing the government’s commitment to improving service delivery and creating wealth through better resource allocation.

Kisumu, Siaya, and Homabay counties residents also expressed joy in creation of more administrative units by the state to decentralize its services.

Nyando MP Jared Okello was also happy of the newly created Kadibo division.

“These administrative units will enhance service delivery to our people, and we thank state for delineation of new boundaries,” said Okello.

The Kuria residents said they owe President Ruto a debt of gratitude for his leadership in this transformative initiative.

Kitayama emphasized that the creation of the new administrative units would significantly accelerate economic growth at the village level.

He encouraged residents to fully embrace the benefits of these developments by ensuring active participation in local economic activities.

Kitayama further urged the community to show their appreciation for the government’s efforts by reciprocating in the 2027 general elections, signaling their support for the leaders who have worked to improve their livelihoods and foster progress in the region.

The creation of new administrative units in Kenya, particularly through the reorganization of county and constituency boundaries, has significant importance for governance, resource allocation, and regional development.

As Kenya approaches the next boundaries review by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), the focus on creating new administrative units becomes even more critical.

Okello like Kitayama said the new administrative units, especially in regions with large populations or vast geographic areas, help bring services closer to the people.

“Local governments can better cater to the unique needs of their communities, whether in education, healthcare, infrastructure, or security,” said the legislator.

The creation of new administrative units in Kenya, particularly through the reorganization of county and constituency boundaries, has significant importance for governance, resource allocation, and regional development.

As Kenya approaches the next boundaries review by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), the focus on creating new administrative units becomes even more critical.

“Smaller units allow citizens to better track the performance of their leaders, encouraging greater participation in governance and civic duties,” explained Okello.

With new boundaries, residents in underserved or remote areas can be better represented in national and county governments.

“This fosters more responsive governance that directly addresses local needs,” he said.

One of the central goals of redrawing boundaries is to promote more balanced development across the country.

“New administrative units will ensure that resources are allocated more fairly, especially to historically marginalized or less developed areas,” said Kitayama.

He observed that with smaller administrative units, local governments are able to implement targeted development projects, leading to improvements in infrastructure, public services, and overall living conditions.

Kitayama said the creation of new administrative units will also address historical marginalization and ensure that minority groups and communities with unique challenges are adequately represented.

This will help promote social cohesion and political stability in the country.

“It will reduce ethnic tensions by balancing the population sizes and ensuring fair representation, new boundaries can mitigate the dominance of a single ethnic group in certain areas, which has been a source of political conflict,” explained Kitayama.

With well-defined and more manageable constituencies, voters are more likely to engage in the electoral process.

“People feel a stronger connection to their local representatives, increasing voter turnout and the legitimacy of elections,” said Kitayama.

Redrawing boundaries ensures that constituencies reflect current population sizes and demographics, promoting fairer elections.

This could also help reduce voter irregularities and gerrymandering, ensuring a more democratic electoral process.

“By addressing areas with low voter registration or participation, new administrative units can help ensure that all eligible citizens are included in the voting process,” said Kitayama.