LOCAL AUTHORITIES IN KENYA
- 18. Name any one officer of municipal council who is appointed by the public service commission.
 
- The town clerk
 - The treasurer
 - The engineer
 - The medical officer of health
 - Municipal education officer
 
(any 1 x 1 =1 mark)
- a) Name three types of local authorities in Kenya.
 
- City councils
 - Municipal council
 - Town council
 - County council
 - Urban council
 
Any 3 x 1 = 3 marks
- b) Explain the services offered by local authorities.
 
- They provide street lighting
 - Ensure safety of residents
 - Provide houses to residents & approves housing plans for individuals and companies
 - Maintain roads within their areas of jurisdiction.
 - Provide education facilities to residents
 - Provide recreational facilities e.g. stadium, social hall
 - Provide health facilities
 - Provide employment opportunities & training to many people.
 - Provide water & sewerage services, collect garbage in towns & provide proper sanitation.
 - Burying unclaimed bodies/offer cemeteries.
 - Link the people with the government of Kenya through elected leaders.
 - Mobilize local resources and energy in carrying projects within their areas.
 - They promote commercial activities by building and maintaining markets .
 - They make by-laws that regulate the activities and behaviour of those living in their areas of jurisdiction.
 - Maintain public areas such as squares and gardens
 
Any 6 x 2 = 12 marks
ANS 18,25 DIST 1
- Mention two senior officers in Local Authority appointed by the minister of Local government in conjunction with the public service commission (2mks)
 
- clerk
 - treasurer
 - engineer
 - medical officer of health. Any 2 = 2mks
 
2.(a) Identify five types of Local Authorities in Kenya
-City council
-Urban council
-Municipal council
-Town council
-County council
-Area council
(b) Explain the functions of Local Authorities in Kenya
-local authorities construct and maintain transport network in their areas of jurisdiction
-they provide social service to the people in their areas
-provision of recreation facilities e.g social hall, stadium
– facilitate business transaction between people by providing market
– issuing of trade license
– offers employment opportunities
– Provision of water and sewerage services
ANS 15,23 DIST 2
- Name one local Authority responsible for the administration of rural areas 
- County Council
 - Area council 1 x 1 = 1 mark
 
 
ANS 15,DIST 4
- a) – Medical officer of health
 
– Treasurer
– Municipal engineer
- b) – Links people with the central government through their elected leaders, the councilors
 
– They mobilize local resources and energies in carrying out projects within their areas.
– It helps in national development through provision of education eg building nursery and
primary schools
– They provide building regulations and protection
– They provide day care centres – social clubs and hostels
– They have the responsibility of controlling pollution from industrial commercial and
other premises in their areas.
– They provide housing services. They build residential houses in their local areas.
– They provide and maintain road network within their areas of jurisdiction.
– They promote commercial activities by building and maintaining markets.
(any six 6 x 2 = 12mks)
ANS 20.DIST 5
3.Name the political head of a town council in Kenya (1mk)
– Chairman / chair person . 1 x 1 = 1mk
ANS 16 DIST 6
- Name two types of local government authorities in Kenya. ( 2 mks)
 - i) City council
 - ii) Urban council
 
iii) Municipality
- iv) Town council
 - v) Area council ( Any 2 x 1 = 2 mk)
 
ANS 13,DIST 7
5.
- b) Ways on how the central government controls city councils
 
-The government appoints professionals officers to serve in the council e.g engineers
-Enact laws under which the council operates
-Approve council by-laws before they become operational
-Approval of loan application before disbursing funds
-Can appoint a commission to investigate the operations and financial mismanagement of the councils if such arise
-Appointment of nominated councilors to the city council
-Dissolve councils which failed to perform and appoint a committee to run the council (5×2=10mks)
ANS 26b,DIST 8
24a) Name three types of local authorities in Kenya (3mks)
- City council
 - Municipal council
 
- Town council
 
- Urban council
 - County/area 3×1 = 3mks
 - b) Name three types of local authorities in Kenya (3mks)
 - Over employment.
 - Misappropriation/embezzlement of funds / corruption
 
- Inadequate trained personal to provide services.
 
- Inadequate funds/poverty.
 - Lack of autonomy due to government control.
 - Political interference.
 
- Street families
 - Increased crime rate.
 
- Vandalism/grabbing of public property
 - Population increase.
 - Unplanned structures.
 
- Varied sizes/too small to generate enough revenue to offer services to the people while other are too large and their population too high.
 - Traffic congestion/air pollution/Noise pollution.
 - Illiterate councilors
 
- Growth of slums
 
- Duplication of roles. 6×2= 12mks
 
ANS 24,DIST 9
- i) City council
 - ii) Municipal council
 
iii) County council
- iv) Town council
 - v) Urban council
 - iv) Area council. (2×1= 2mks)
 
ANS 9,DIST 11
- . a
 
– City council
– Municipal councils
– Town councils
– Urban councils
– County councils
– Area councils (5×1=5mks)
- b) – Ensures that local authorities conform to the stipulated national policies.
 
– nominates councilors to local authorities.
– has power to dissolve a local authority.
– approves by laws made by local authorities.
– has power to investigate activities of any local authority.
– has power to overrule some of the decisions of the local authorities.
– has power to withhold grants to local authorities.
– appoints senior officers of the council e.g. clerks. (any 5×2=10mks)
ANS 21,DIST 12
- Name two types of local authorities in Kenya. (2mks)
 
- City councils
 - Municipal councils
 - County councils
 - Town councils
 - Urban and area council
 
2 x 1 = 2 marks QUES 14,DIST 14
- 2 local authorities in Kenya 
- City council
 - municipal council
 - town council
 - urban council
 - area/county council
 
 
ANS 14,DIST 15
1.County councils. 1×1 = 1mk
ANS 17,DIST 16
- – City council
 
– Municipal
– Country
– Urban/ area council
– Town (2 x 1=2mks)
ANS 17 DIST 17
- a) i) Gives or withholds grants to local authorities
 - ii) Appoints inspectors to audit the books of accounts of the local authorities as well as
 
scrutinize the expenditure
iii) Approves levies, rates, taxes and rent increase of local authorities
- iv) Approves the loans and expenditure by the local authorities
 - v) Approves the salaries and emoluments of the chief officers.
 - b) i) Lack of autonomy e.g being controlled by central government
 - ii) Financial problems i.e weak financial base
 
iii) Manpower problems like lack of enough qualified staff.
- iv) Population pressure which strains the city council leading to deteroriation of services.
 - v) Powers of parliament which interferes with the running of the city council
 - vi) Poor planning
 
vii) Poor equipments e.g outdate fire engines
viii) Poor working relationship between councilors and chief officers
- ix) Overemployment of workers
 - x) Misapropriation of funds
 - xi) Street families
 
xii) Inefficient system of tax collection
xiii) Tax evation (Any 12 x 1 = 12mks)
ANS 22,DIST 18
1.Name two ex-official members of local authorities (2mks)
– Clerks
– District Commissioners ANS 14,DIST 20

