‘Stop Meddling With Counties!’ Raila Tells President Ruto
Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party leader Raila Odinga has fired a warning to President William Ruto’s government over what he terms as interfering with functions of devolved units.
Speaking in Mombasa on Friday after meeting with Governors elected under the coalition umbrella, Odinga underscored the importance of devolution as highlighted in the Constitution.
He called out President William Ruto’s administration for what he says is meddling with the affairs of Governors such as in the health sector and distribution of resources, hence hindering proper service delivery.
“We believe that the 2010 Constitution provided a platform to which Kenyans can directly benefit from the national cake through devolution… Whereas County Governors are trying hard to discharge their duties as prescribed in the 2010 Constitution, the national government is on the other hand, trying much harder to pull down their legs and suppress them,” stated Odinga.
“The National Government should respect the Constitution and stop meddling in the affairs and functions of County Governments. They should desist the current interference in the mandate of devolved functions such as distribution of fertilizer, construction and opening of markets, health sector, and commissioning of industrial parks.”
The opposition leader further faulted the current regime for its reluctance to allocate resources to the counties, as well as alleged attempts to control the county bosses by imploring them to work with the national government.
According to the Azimio chief, calls by the government to work with opposition Governors in a bid for them to benefit from development is deemed as coercion since it is the right of every county to receive its allocation in due time.
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“There is a need to amend the County Governments Act to have money allocated for the Counties released on time to stop the current bureaucratic requirements where Governors and officials from counties travel to Nairobi in the name of pushing for approval of their requisitions,” he stated.
“The National Government should release funds allocated to County Governments in time for effectiveness and efficiency in service delivery. This will go a long way in averting industrial actions by workers that end up slowing down service delivery to the people.”
He added: “Governors should be given a free hand in the management of affairs and the discharge of duties in their respective Counties. The national government’s role is to fund them as per the law and not to coerce Governors into submission. The two levels of government should complement each other and not one being subordinate to another.”
The opposition coalition chief at the same time said it would push for the current allocation of counties from 15% to a minimum of 35% to enhance devolution.
He argued that among the key challenges counties are grappling with are the high cost of living, over-taxation, increase in fuel prices, and unemployment which had subsequently crippled many projects in the devolved units.
“For devolution to be enhanced, we recommend that the allocation of resources to counties should be increased from the current 15% to a minimum of 35%. This proposal will be presented before the National Dialogue Committee sitting at the Bomas of Kanya for consideration,” said Odinga.
‘Stop Meddling With Counties!’ Raila Tells President Ruto