Kenya county governments and records management pertinent issues: a literature review

Abstract

The introduction of devolution in Kenya in 2010 marked a transformative era in the country's governance, decentralizing power and resources to 47 established counties. This significant shift aimed to promote local development, address regional disparities, and increase citizen participation in decision-making processes. As devolution continues to shape governance structures in Kenya, effective records management emerges as a pivotal factor in ensuring transparency, accountability, and efficient service delivery at the county level. The Constitution of Kenya 2010 mentions the information drawn from article 118 (1) (b) and demands that parliament and county assemblies enact laws that ensure public participation and involvement in the legislature and other business of assemblies and its committees. This therefore calls for the role that records play in form of formulation of questions that is passed on to the public that bears clarity on the objectives of the government and the answers that meet these queries. These interactions are usually sourced from the governments in form of the legislature or executive orders that are linked to citizens. The review focused on the role of records management, challenges faced by county governments and potential solutions drawn from existing literature. Extensive searches were conducted across academic databases, including but not limited to, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus and relevant government repositories. Records management is a linchpin in the governance machinery of Kenya's County Governments, contributing to the core tenets of democracy, citizen engagement, service delivery, protection of rights, and financial accountability. Kenyan counties encounter challenges such as absent or inadequate records management policies, insufficient staffing with misplaced responsibilities, limited funding for modern systems, lack of top management prioritization, minimal adoption of technology, absence of clear guidance leading to inconsistencies, absence of electronic records management policies, and a deficiency in national-level policy control. Proposed recommendations for county records management include identifying vital records and adhering to lifecycles, employing ideal technological applications for the entire records lifecycle, tailoring management to institutional objectives, and promoting public engagement through policy development.