We also want our issues addressed, ward leaders say

 Members of the County Assembly during the General Assembly summit at Bomas of Kenya in Nairobi. [ PHOTO: GOVEDI ASUTSA/STANDARD]

Kenya: County Assembly members declined to take sides on the anticipated referendum, and instead formed a technical committee to chart their own course on the issue.

Contrary to what was expected at the Bomas of Kenya County Assemblies’ Forum (CAF) meeting yesterday, the ward representatives turned the heat on the national executive, constitutional organs, governors and Parliament, even as they remained steadfast in calls for own referendum.

The CAF meeting resolved to tackle seven issues, among them forming a technical committee to formulate and identify issues affecting devolution.

From the start, the MCAs appeared to read from a carefully written script, raising several matters against the governors. These included the ward representatives’ surprising decision to accuse the governors of teaming up with the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), Controller of Budgets (CoB), Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, Parliament and Commission for Revenue Allocation against the county assemblies.

They lashed at the governors, accusing them of plotting alongside the institutional organs and the Treasury to deny them funds for ward development, car grants and ward offices through approving the ceilings recommended by the Commission for Revenue Allocation.

Yesterday was also the day for the county assemblies to take a stand on the push for a national vote by the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) and governors proposing changes to the Constitution, which include increased allocation of funds to counties, from 15 per cent to 45 per cent of the national budget.

In their resolutions, the MCAs remained non-committal on whether to back CORD’s referendum or the governors’, or come up with their own as suggested during the deliberations.

The members approved the resolutions read by CAF chairman Abdi Nuh, where they unanimously mandated the forum to constitute a technical team that will identify issues needing to be addressed.

“The leaders will engage other institutions on the issues identified and report back in a month’s time,” Nuh said.

“Each county will nominate one person to the committee. The 47 members will have four days to constitute themselves with clusters, and come up with 15 technical committee members from the cluster regions to address issues and advise on the way forward.”

CAF urged the President not to sign into law the Country Allocation of Revenue Bill, and refer it back to Parliament with a memorandum on the issue of county assemblies’ funds.

“County assemblies must safeguard public funds and conduct their oversight role without fear or favour, and observe financial prudence in county dealings,” noted the Tana River Speaker.

 

“County assemblies urge government institutional to engage through consultations to avoid engaging in court battles to safeguard funds, and observe the independence of the assemblies from the executive.”

The meeting finally resolved that CAF is mandated to reverse matters that concern county assemblies, including county redress in courts. Most of the MCAs distanced themselves from the two referenda, arguing they are anchored on selfish interests and not protecting devolution as alleged. They suggested pushing their own national vote, dubbed ‘Huduma mashinani’.

During the meeting, the MCAs were taken through slide reports, detailing various meetings held on varied dates between governors, CRA, SRC, National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich, allegedly meant to undermine County Assemblies by denying them funds.

When the MCAs saw the list of ten governors in attendance at the Intergovernmental Budget and Economic Council (IBEC) chaired by Deputy President William Ruto, they demanded an apology from Council of Governors chairman Isaac Ruto for deceiving them.

“It is President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee, the Opposition or county assemblies that will determine the referendum. We will give the green light on whether to have the referendum or not, and not anyone else,” said Nuh.