The Constitution has put in place the system of devolved government, which calls for equal distribution of resources among the 47 counties. It also aims to bring power close to people. According to this new system, each county will be responsible in running its affairs. The county governments shall raise own revenue and will further receive a share of revenue raised nationally.

Counties have power to raise revenue through property rates, entertainment taxes, charges for services, any other authorised tax imposed by an Act of Parliament.

From the national government, counties will get at least 15 per cent share of the annual national revenue.

A county government may borrow funds with the approval of its assembly and a guarantee from the national government, in this sense, it would be important for each county to ensure they consider all the resources available to raise funds, creativity and being innovative will help much in improving developments with the counties.

A recent survey showed counties differ in their poverty index. Kajiado was ranked the richest while Turkana was the poorest county.

In Kajiado, 12 per cent of the residents live with poverty as opposed to the case in Turkana where 94 per cent live under abject poverty. The variation was attributed to different socio-economic factors.

Accept differences

What are the social, economic and political implications of this report? In as much we try to celebrate the birth of devolution, let us also think of how we will help curb challenges that we are likely to face including poverty, poor infrastructure, insecurity, drought, famine and diseases. This will be possible if we first accept our differences. Furthermore, it will require us to adore ourselves with appropriate, effective and sustainable skills and approaches to address the impending challenges.

The new structure would include county assemblies, executive committees and public service. Leaders in these positions will help co-ordinate and oversee how the work is done. Thus, electing competent, credible and transparent leaders will create positive impact on us — the type of leaders we will elect will determine general living standard, shape the economic growth and level of education.

We have to note there is competition among counties, and we are doomed to have a retarded growth should we peg our hope on other counties. This, however, does not imply we should not share what we have with other counties, indeed, this is the time to embrace ethnic, and tribal cohesion among us to enhance easy exchange of scarce resources.

Granted, some counties are more privileged than others. Some are enjoying good infrastructural facilities while others have to content with insecurity, food and water shortage and many basic amenities. This, however, should not be a source of frustration for residents because the pathetic situation can be improved.

leadership factor

All we need is to identify all the problems, prioritise and solve them. Each region has leaders and elites who should co-operate in solving the problems. More importantly, we should be very vigilant, and objective when electing county leaders who will help bring the development. That means we should scrutinise the people to elect in the positions like senators, governors, women representative, youth representative or ward representatives. But we must seek to understand the role to be played by each before choosing them.

Generally, each county should work properly with its scarce resources to bring development. However, the Government will have to consider economic, climatic and geographical diversity among the counties before it allocates its resources. Equality and transparency have to be paramount. The Government has the responsibility of ensuring even the marginalised are not left behind in development.

All in all, county officials should give priority to development in respective counties.

Another significant issue is on management of resources available. There should be accountability of the resources used, this will help build trust among the people.

{Phinehas  Onyango, Nairobi}

 

Leadership should be about real issues

As the day for the next elections inexorably draws closer, many have come forward to persuade us to vote for them, each claiming to be the best.

Nonetheless, a remark by President Kibaki at the 10th national prayer meeting to the effect that most ‘leaders want this thing for themselves forgetting it is God who gives’ lays bare the truth.

Most of those who seek the presidency do so for selfish reasons. Each feels he must lead a new party, adding confusion to the jumble of parties. They have broken the law that governs election campaigns. Feeble alliances guided by convenience rather than ideology sprout up daily yet the alignments and realignments have no definite form.

However it’s the morbid fascination with certain individuals that manifests a paucity of progressive ideas in leaders who claim to have the capacity to move us forward.

The president’s call for peaceful campaigns and elections in his Madaraka Day speech should be everybody’s clarion call. Peace and calm are achievable if politics of hatred, personality attacks and negative ethnicity become things of yore.

That those who never used to see eye to eye should suddenly become buddies united against another points to a mischief that bodes evil.

The selection process of representatives to the East African Legislative Assembly suggests the august House has been turned into a forum for settling personal scores. Integrity, suitability and competence were not the guiding factors in appointments, rather, political expediency and selfishness were. Are the elected MPs to Eala credible considering the manner of their nominations? Is it any wonder then that impunity is a way of life in Kenya?

We should demand that those seeking elective posts must sincerely and vigorously address themselves to issues core to our well being. The type of avarice exhibited by MPs places us on a pedestal much lower than the one on which they stand. They are obsessed with having more Kenyans take ID cards for voting purposes. To them, we are mere statistics taken every five years to gauge their popularity.

{Alexander Chagema, Kakamega}

 

Are we paying fees for ‘ghost’ learners?

Since 2003 the Government has been supporting education through the free primary and subsidised secondary education programmes.

Funds are sent to schools based on population of learners. Primary pupils get a grant of Sh1,050 while  secondary students receive Sh10,000 each.

However proper mechanism to regularly get updates and reliable data on the learner population directly from schools still remains a challenge. The Government relies on the data given by the school heads for the disbursement of funds.

To get more funds, some of heads give higher figures. The extra funding is used to wire funds to the schools account at the expense of the taxpayer. These amounts could be used for other purposes to enhance quality of education.

Surprisingly, these fraud cases bypass the ‘inspection’ by Quality Assurance and Standards Officers — the Government watchdog on the ground. This must come to an end.

{Choto Justus, Oyugis}

 

CJ bears good news, but we need action

Chief Justice Willy Mutunga has spoken, but he has to follow his words with action. That the Judiciary will take no directions and orders from anyone with decisions not too hard for them to make, I guess Kenyans have an additional task to be on the lookout. The Judiciary is supposed to be an independent organ of the government.

Dr Mutunga, in all manner of action, seems to mean good for Kenya and Kenyans especially after unveiling the 10-point action plan that will oversee the transformation of the Judiciary. This is good news but without actions, it makes no sense. It should not be an empty promise.

It has always been hectic for the Kenyans to handle and follow cases in court with most of them taking longer than expected.

{Victor Otsiula, Kakamega}

 

 

Cheers for cheering Stars at Kasarani

I congratulate all Kenyans who turned up at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani to cheer Harambee Stars when they played against the Flames of Malawi on the weekend.

It was encouraging to see of the terraces and the VIP chairs of the stadium filled up. I guess many others were following the game and cheering the team on their screens.

Though our team did not score, we showed rare patriotism and should rally behind Stars, again, next weekend as they travel to Namibia.

{Julius Otieno, Eldoret}