National Treasury Cabinet Secretary (CS) John Mbadi has proposed a radical restructuring of Kenya’s devolved government system, suggesting a reduction in the number of counties from 47 to just 8 — or even the complete abolition of the county system.

In an interview on March 19, 2026, Mbadi argued that devolution has inflated the government’s wage bill and led to widespread financial mismanagement.

He described the current system as unsustainable due to the high cost of maintaining county governments.

Mbadi proposed a return to the administrative boundaries under the old constitution, which divided Kenya into eight provinces.

He claimed this would ensure resources reach grassroots communities while addressing the country’s current financial crisis.

“I would go for a maximum of 14 [counties]. There were eight provinces, but if you look at Rift Valley, it was like two or three provinces combined, and the same applies to the Eastern province,” Mbadi said.

He insisted that eight counties would be ideal for devolution to function effectively in Kenya.

“Even eight [counties] would still serve us perfectly well, with devolution of resources going to the grassroots.”

If Mbadi’s proposal succeeds, only the former eight provinces—Nairobi, Central, North Eastern, Eastern, Rift Valley, Coast, Nyanza, and Western—would remain as administrative regions, with the other 39 counties absorbed into these larger units.

Unnecessary Positions in County Governments

Mbadi criticized county governments for creating an excess of administrative roles, including positions such as directors of fisheries, boda boda transport, and cultural affairs—each with deputies earning substantial salaries.

“There are too many people in administrative roles. The 47 counties are simply too much for a country of our size,” he said.

He also highlighted the proliferation of other administrative units such as sub-counties and wards, arguing these have become prohibitively expensive to maintain.

“Each of the 47 counties has a full-fledged government: a governor, a deputy governor, and a cabinet with up to 10 ministers. Additionally, there are chief officers and county assemblies. It is an unsustainable structure,” Mbadi asserted.

The Cost of Running Government

Mbadi revealed that the national government currently spends approximately Ksh80 billion per month on salaries, amounting to Ksh960 billion annually—a significant portion of the Ksh2.5 trillion raised in annual tax revenues.

In addition, he noted that about Ksh1.1 trillion is spent annually on debt repayment, leaving minimal resources for development initiatives.

“We can devolve resources without devolving a heavy bureaucratic government to the grassroots. It is unsustainable,” Mbadi said.

He referenced the Majimbo system under Kenya’s first constitution, which established fewer regional governments and assemblies, as a more sustainable model.

Too Many MCAs?

Mbadi further argued that Kenya’s devolved system has led to an oversupply of Members of County Assembly (MCAs). He pointed out that the constitutional requirement for gender balance has resulted in the nomination of additional MCAs, increasing the wage bill.

“Kenyans should engage in a conversation about whether this is the type of devolution they wanted. No—we wanted resources to be devolved, not an oversized government,” he said.

“We have too many MCAs, and because Kenyans elect very few women, the constitution compels us to nominate additional members to meet the two-thirds gender rule. This is a significant financial burden,” he added.

As the debate over devolution intensifies, Mbadi’s proposal has sparked widespread discussion about the future of Kenya’s governance and the financial sustainability of its county system.