Kenya’s devolution in 2013, grant of administrative and fiscal powers to county governments has helped address historical regional marginalization, but county executives often reproduce centralized, clientelist power dynamics. Mercy Corps’ research in Turkana, Isiolo, and Garissa shows that ward-level participatory planning (via Ward Development Planning) fills governance gaps by bringing grassroots knowledge into budgeting, empowering local communities, and improving representation. However, its success depends on adaptive, context-sensitive implementation, high-quality inclusive processes, and avoiding duplication with existing institutions.