Abstract: In this paper, I explore how the implementation of decentralization policies has shaped violence in Samburu County, northern Kenya. In 2010, a majority of Kenyans voted in a national referendum to adopt a new constitution that promised more accountable regional governance and the protection of the rights of marginalized groups. As part of the implementation of the 2010 constitution, Kenyans elected new county governments in 2013. While at the national level the 2013 elections were largely peaceful, counties across Kenya experienced violence in the months and years before and after the elections. The process of devolution—transferring power to county governments—has been profoundly shaped by national politics and long-standing political debates in Kenya around independence, regional politics, marginalization, and citizenship.