STRATEGIC GOVERNANCE PRACTICES AND SERVICE DELIVERY IN KISII COUNTY, KENYA

Purpose of the Study: This study sought to explore the strategic governance practices in County service delivery in Kisii County Kenya. Statement of the Problem: Service delivery remains challenging for county governments despite Kenya's 2010 constitutional devolution. Kisii County scored poorly on budget transparency (41%) and public participation (7/100 points), indicating significant governance issues affecting service delivery efficiency. Methodology: The study used descriptive design targeting 200 senior county employees with questionnaires distributed via drop-and-pick method. A pilot study with 20 questionnaires was conducted to pretest the instrument. Longitudinal design was chosen for its superiority in capturing developmental processes over time. Results of the Study:  Strong positive correlations were found between public trust and service delivery (r=0.853, p=0.001) and between governance transparency and service delivery (r=0.873, p=0.000). Both relationships were statistically significant and aligned with findings from previous studies by Brayo and Kinyondo (2020) and Kiambati (2020). Conclusion: Strategic governance practices significantly influence County service delivery in Kisii County, with findings highlighting a positive relationship between governance practices and service delivery outcomes. Keywords: Strategic Governance, Practices, Service Delivery, Kisii County, Kenya