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Murang’a County has been ranked first in automation of services, employment creation, and e-government initiatives, according to a new report by the Kenya Vision 2030 Delivery Secretariat.

The report, titled Assessment of Automation of Services and Employment Creation by Counties, was released on Tuesday in Nairobi.

Murang’a scored an impressive 98.3 per cent, followed by Nakuru (87.3 per cent), Kiambu (83.9 per cent), Kisumu (81.2 per cent), and Meru (80.3 per cent). Other counties in the top 10 included Nairobi, Machakos, Lamu, Elgeyo Marakwet, and Kwale.

The county’s top ranking is credited to its comprehensive automation of services, which has doubled revenue collections and streamlined operations across government institutions.

Hospitals are now paperless, and initiatives such as the Inua Mkulima programme allow farmers to receive quarterly subsidies directly on their phones. In addition, bursary applications are now processed online, with students being notified electronically once approved.

“Automation has transformed how we deliver services to our citizens,” said Prof. Kiarie Mwaura, Chief Executive Member for Finance and Economic Planning at Murang’a County Government. “When we joined the government, annual revenue was Sh500 million. With automation, it has risen to Sh1.3 billion, and as we expand these systems, we expect further growth.”

Prof Mwaura noted that 15 to 18 services have been automated, with plans to develop a single mobile application providing all county services in one place for easy citizen access.

The study used exploratory research, reviewing secondary data from county government websites, Controller of Budget reports, statistical abstracts, and the Council of Governors Maarifa Centre.

It examined how counties are leveraging digital platforms to improve accessibility and citizen experience.

The findings revealed that counties performing well in automation and citizen experience also tend to show stronger overall results. However, gaps in employment creation and data institutionalisation continue to limit progress in some counties.

The report emphasises that automation and e-government are enablers, not solutions on their own. Effective service delivery and economic empowerment require strong leadership and good governance.

Counties were evaluated based on four key criteria: citizen experience (ease of access to services), safety and reliability of county revenue management systems, data use and innovation, and employment creation.

Murang’a scored 28 out of 30 in citizen experience, 25 out of 25 in revenue management, 10 out of 10 in innovation, and 35 out of 35 in employment creation, leading to the overall 98.3 percent score.

Speaking at the report launch at Ruwaza Center, Kenya Vision 2030 Secretariat Director General Kenneth Mwige challenged lagging counties to adopt automation. “Some counties lack legal frameworks to compel service automation,” he noted.

“With a majority of Kenya’s population under 35, there is an opportunity to harness youth energy for innovation and growth through deliberate investment in digital services.”

Mwige urged counties to learn from top performers locally rather than seeking solutions abroad.

“Counties in categories B, C, and D do not need to benchmark in Dubai or elsewhere; the solutions are here at home. If all counties operated at this level, the benefits would be nationwide.”

He noted successful automation in digital health, including telemedicine and AI-assisted diagnosis, smart agriculture initiatives enhancing food security, e-job management, drone-assisted spraying, e-budgeting systems, data mapping, and urban innovation projects.