Kenyan Constitution, Chapter Eleven, Part 2, Article 176 to 178

Devolved Government

County Governments

Article 176: County Governments

(1) There shall be a county government for each county, consisting of a county assembly and a county executive.

(2) Every county government shall decentralize its functions and the provision of its services to the extent that it is efficient and practicable to do so.

Article 177: Membership of county assembly

(1) A county assembly consists of–

(a) members elected by the registered voters of the wards, each ward constituting a single member constituency, on the same day as a general election of Members of Parliament, being the second Tuesday in August, in every fifth year;
(b) the number of special seat members necessary to ensure that no more than two-thirds of the membership of the assembly are of the same gender;
(c) the number of members of marginalised groups, including persons with disabilities and the youth, prescribed by an Act of Parliament; and
(d) the Speaker, who is an ex officio member.

(2) The members contemplated in clause (1) (b) and (c) shall, in each case, be nominated by political parties in proportion to the seats received in that election in that county by each political party under paragraph (a) in accordance with Article 90.
(3) The filling of special seats under clause (1) (b) shall be determined after declaration of elected members from each ward.
(4) A county assembly is elected for a term of five years.

Article 178: Speaker of county assembly

(1) Each county assembly shall have a speaker elected by the county assembly from among persons who are not members of the assembly.
(2) A sitting of the county assembly shall be presided over by–

(a) the speaker of the assembly; or
(b) in the absence of the speaker, another member of the assembly elected by the assembly.

(3) Parliament shall enact legislation providing for the election and removal from office of speakers of the county assemblies.

Read: Kenyan Constitution, Chapter Eleven, Part 1, Article 174 to 175