By Hilda Ng’etich and Mahlon Lichuma
Uasin Gishu County has enhanced preparations to host the 8th Annual Devolution Conference.
The conference is scheduled to take place from the 15th to the 19th of August 2023 in the county’s capital – Eldoret.
According to Governor Jonathan Bii, the event is expected to attract thousands of delegates from across the country.
“As a County, we are privileged to host the first bi-annual devolution conference. This means we are expecting guests from across the Country in our town,” said Governor Bii during the Madaraka Day Celebrations.
The theme of the conference is ’10 years of devolution: The present and the future’.
Governors from the 47 devolved units are expected to focus on the last 10 years of devolution and explore locally and internationally recognized methods to help strengthen the systems to ensure transformed service delivery in counties.
“The Conference will bring together local and international delegates to discuss, learn and share best practices on pertinent issues affecting sub-national governments and provide trade and investment opportunities for communities in Uasin Gishu and the neighbouring Counties,” noted the Council of Governors (CoG) Chair Anne Waiguru at a recent press briefing.
Sports activities
In relation to the conference’s sub-theme; ‘Driving transformation from the local level’; the host governor said they have organized various sports activities which will be held on 15th August 2023.
“The county has organized various sports activities which will take place at the Kipchoge Keino Stadium and are set to promote local talent from the grassroots,” Bii noted.
According to the governor, preparations for the upcoming devolution conference in the County will not only pave the way for the conference but also prove the readiness of turning Eldoret into a city.
Since the inception of devolution in 2013, governors have been holding the conference annually.
However, they in 2021 voted to have the event held after every two years, with Uasin Gishu being the first to host the bi-annual conference – which will be the overall 8th.
