No let up in push for cash, says Munya

Governor Peter Munya, who is the new chairman of the Council of Governors (CoG), made a triumphant return to the county yesterday to a rousing reception by residents who lined up roads to welcome him.

Mr Munya's one kilometre-long convoy snaked into Meru from Sportsarms Hotel in Nanyuki, where county leaders had received him before starting the journey home.

At Timau, the governor thanked governors for showing confidence and choosing him to head their umbrella body, the CoG.

"For the 47 governors to elect me as their chairman, it is a show of great confidence in me. It is a great honour for me, and the Meru people and I am very thankful," Munya said, adding that his main objective as the CoG chairman will be to continue spearheading the push for allocation of more money to the counties for development projects.

"As governors, we are determined to protect devolution at all costs and we are going to resist attempts to be taken back to the days when all resources were controlled by the national government," he said.

He hit out at MPs who want the health function returned to to the national government, and observed that provision of health services had improved tremendously following devolution of the sector.

 "The Constitution gave counties the health function, but now they want to take us back to the old days when there was no medicine in hospitals. Counties have built more hospitals, ensured there is medicine and hired more health workers. The national government has only two hospitals, Kenyatta National Hospital and Moi Referral Hospital. The two are getting all the money while we are underfunded," the county chief said.

 MPs misguided

He said MPs who want the docket taken away from counties were misguided as it is only Kenyans, through a referendum, who can do that.

"MPs who hold meeting in hotel rooms and saying the health function should go back to Nairobi are day-dreaming," Munya stated.

He said the the water function had also been devolved and the Government must stop undertaking water projects and release all funds to counties.

 "Why is the national government drilling boreholes and doing water pans? It is we as county governments who know where the boreholes are needed," he said.

The new CoG chairman also asked the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission to "stop manhandling governors while investigating corruption allegations."

"There is no need for the police to put handcuffs on governors and bundle them into cars. It is a show of lack of respect for governors, who are elected officials," Munya said.