The Current State of Records Management in the County Government of Nakuru, Kenya

Abstract

Effective records management underpins accountability, transparency, and efficient service delivery in devolved governments. Yet many county governments in Kenya continue to face inadequate storage facilities, reliance on manual record-keeping, limited technological infrastructure, insufficient staff training, and weak implementation of records management policies. This study assessed the current state of records management in the County Government of Nakuru and examined its implications for governance and service delivery. A mixed-methods design was adopted. The target population comprised 152 county officers in the County Executive and the County Assembly; 126 were sampled, and 120 returned completed questionnaires (response rate = 95.2%). Six key informants were also interviewed. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and qualitative data using thematic analysis. Records classification systems existed in most departments (81.7%), but only 46.7% of respondents reported that they were consistently applied. Over half of the respondents (58.3%) rated storage facilities as inadequate or very inadequate, and 72.5% reported continued reliance on manual or hybrid systems; only 27.5% reported an implemented electronic records management system. Interviewees attributed these constraints to limited financial resources, inadequate information technology infrastructure, limited technical expertise, and insufficient staff training. The study concludes that records management in the County Government of Nakuru is at a transitional stage. Stronger policy implementation, greater investment in electronic records management systems, and continuous staff capacity development are needed to strengthen governance, accountability, and service delivery.