Kenya has made a number of leaps towards devolution since the passing of the 2010 constitution though it has not come without challenges.
The 2010 constitution saw Kenya get divided into County Governments that all total to 47 with each County having a unique number for recognition. What is your County’s number?
The numbering format began with the Coastal region making Mombasa County number 001 followed by five other Counties in the region which makes the first six Counties of Kenya, Coastal.
The numbering is then followed by North Eastern Counties which starts with Garissa as 07, followed by Wajir 08 and then Mandera 09.
The numbering from 10 starts with Eastern Counties which are Marsabit at 10, Isiolo, Meru, Tharaka NIthi, Embu, Kitui, Machakos and finally Makueni at number 17 as the last Eastern County.
Numbers of Counties in the Central region of Kenya start at number 18 with Nyandarua followed by Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Murang’a and Kiambu at number 22.
The numbering of the Counties then begins with Rift Valley Counties with Turkana at number 23, closely followed by West Pokot, Samburu, Uasin Gishu, Trans Nzoia, Elgeyo Marakwet, Nandi, Baringo, Laikipia, Nakuru, Narok, Kajiado, Kericho, and Bomet.
The numbering continues to Western Counties with Kakamega leading at number 37 followed by Vihiga, Bungoma, and Busia at number 40.
The counties numbered just before the Capital city are six Nyanza Counties which are Siaya, Kisumu, Homa Bay, Migori, Kisii and Nyamira County at number 46 then Kenya’s Capital, Nairobi at number 47.
The most famous ones are 01 given the Governor is fond of referring himself using the number and 47 given it’s the Capital City. Below is a list of Kenya’s Counties in the order of the numbers used to refer to them:
01 Mombasa
02 Kwale
03 Kilifi
04 Tana River
05 Lamu
06 Taita Taveta
07 Garissa
8 Wajir
9 Mandera
10 Marsabit
11 Isiolo
12 Meru
13 Tharaka Nithi
14 Embu
15 Kitui
16 Machakos
17 Makueni
18 Nyandarua
19 Nyeri
20 Kirinyaga
21 Murang’a
22 Kiambu
23 Turkana
24 West Pokot
25 Samburu
26 Uasin Gishu
27 Trans-Nzoia
28 Elgeyo-Marakwet Rift Valley 29 Nandi Rift Valley
30 Baringo
31 Laikipia
32 Nakuru
33 Narok
34 Kajiado
35 Kericho
36 Bomet
37 Kakamega
38 Vihiga
39 Bungoma
40 Busia
41 Siaya
42 Kisumu
43 Homa Bay
44 Migori
45 Kisii
46 Nyamira
47 Nairobi