Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika is banking on performance metrics to boost service delivery across her administration. The approach sets clear expectations, responsibilities, and goals for each officer and department.
Speaking at the signing of performance contracts by County Executive Committee Members (CECMs) at the county headquarters, Governor Kihika said the initiative aims to enhance accountability to the public.
A key concern, she noted, is the county’s persistent failure to fully absorb development funds, with an average of Sh5.7 billion from the development budget rolling over each year.
“The Controller of Budget has written to the County Government of Nakuru, raising concerns over findings from a fund absorption assessment covering the financial years 2018 to 2022,” Kihika said.
She urged the CECMs to aim for 100 percent absorption of the development budget, warning that unspent funds represent missed opportunities to deliver essential services.
The contracts signed include specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) objectives, enabling quantitative assessments of each officer’s performance.
“In my evaluation, I’ll be looking at tangible outcomes—such as the number of households accessing water through a borehole project or the increase in children enrolled in ECDE programs following school construction,” she said.
Governor Kihika added that linking performance to budget and resource allocation helps motivate officers and supports more efficient, results-driven service delivery.
She also tasked each CECM with safeguarding public assets. Officers are expected to map government property, process ownership documents, and take physical custody of these assets.
Kihika cited a troubling case where land earmarked for a Sh5.6 billion drainage project funded by KfW Development Bank was illegally acquired by private developers, delaying Phases 2 and 3 of the project.
She also raised concerns over county vehicles that have been abandoned in garages, including one left in Kericho Town since 2015.
To further improve service delivery, the Governor reiterated her administration’s commitment to automating government services to enhance efficiency, accountability, and transparency.
“I hereby direct the performance contracting committee, chaired by the County Secretary, to submit quarterly progress reports—with supporting evidence—on the implementation of these contracts,” she said, urging full support for the initiative.