Increase of funding to counties will not raise taxes, Raila says

 Deputy President William Ruto carries a chalice to Father David Kaberia during Sunday Service at St. Joseph's Cathedral in Meru County. Photo:DPPS

Kenya: CORD leader Raila Odinga has dismissed President Uhuru Kenyatta's assertion that an increase in allocation to counties would occasion further taxation of Kenyans.

Raila said it was wrong to imply that the 45 per cent of national revenue increase would overburden Kenyans, arguing that the additional resources are meant to meet the functions that have been devolved.

"We want a referendum to increase the allocation because most of the functions have been devolved. The increase will not affect the current taxes. Those saying it will increase the taxes are lying," Raila told supporters in Kawangware yesterday.

But speaking in Meru town, Deputy President William Ruto asked Kenyans not to be duped by the Opposition, saying the referendum push was a plot to derail the Government from fulfilling its election pledges.

Ruto said the Jubilee government has increased the allocation to counties and would continue doing so without prompting. "Last year we allocated Sh190 billion to the counties. This year we increased it to Sh228 billion and next year we will still increase it. It was not Raila or the referendum that caused the increments. The Government is ready to talk with the governors on this but some people are bringing politics into it," the DP said at the Catholic Cathedral Church in Meru town where he helped raise funds for a project.

He added: "The referendum is not about the money. It is a plot by a person we beat in the elections. They want us to fail in fulfilling our election pledges. We were not born yesterday, we know what is going on. Don't take us for a ride."

But in Nairobi, the former premier charged that the referendum was not a Raila affair but an expression of dissatisfaction by Kenyans on the way the Government has been run for the last one year.

He also dismissed suggestions that he was keen on the referendum campaigns to resurrect his political career after losing last year's presidential election.

Raila said his was an initiative to, among other things, strengthen devolution, fight corruption, fix land problems and safeguard security.

"This is not an initiative about Raila or to resurrect his political career. This is about strengthening devolution and making sure the land problems being experienced between the National Land Commission (NLC) and Lands Cabinet Secretary are fixed," he said.

Raila said they had invited Jubilee administration leadership for national dialogue, which was turned down hence their clamour for a referendum to seek the electorate's mandate to change the Constitution.

 

"During the campaigns they promised that they will use Sh6 billion earmarked for a repeat of polls. Have you seen the money? They promised laptops, have you seen the laptops? They promised that they will reduce the cost of living, has it reduced or increased?" Raila posed.

The ODM leader claimed there are some people within the Government eyeing huge parcels of land whose lease period is coming to an end this year.

Raila cautioned that unless a line was drawn between the NLC and Lands CS Charity Ngilu's activities, those parcels of land would be grabbed by some powerful forces.

He reiterated that for Kenyans to feel that they belong to and own the country, the Government's public appointments should reflect the diversity and ethnic equation.

Raila said CORD would make sure the referendum would have a provision of entrenching the quota system in all public appointments so the marginalised and small communities get their share.

"We want to make sure in this referendum that nobody is discriminated against in public appointments and recruitment in the civil service. We should adopt the Malasian quota system where each group or community gets a share of the public service," he said.

He was flanked by Siaya Senator James Orengo and his Kakamega counterpart Boni Khwalwale, MPs Junet Mohamed (Suna East), Opiyo Wandayi (Ugenya), Simba Arati (Dagoretti North), Steve Kariuki (Mathare) and Timothy Wanyonyi (Westlands).

Ruto asked governors to continue talking with President Kenyatta about the issues without letting the referendum be hijacked by people who just want to become relevant. "Let me tell Governor Munya (Peter) he has our support as required by the law," said Raila.

Ruto also fired back at Raila, who on a visit to Embu and Meru counties last week claimed the DP was spending loads of money in harambees.

"I am better because I use my money to do a fundraiser for a church. Let them use theirs to buy youths to throw stones and shoes. He should leave me alone,"said the DP.

Munya said he would only abandon the referendum if he gets enough funds. "I am not fighting the Government by supporting Pesa Mashinani."