Senator calls on Uhuru to scrap entire PA system

By LONAH KIBET

Nairobi,Kenya:Nominated Senator Janet Ong’era has challenged the Government to entirely scrap the Provincial Administration instead of piecemeal restructuring of the system.

Ong’era said the system has proved to be a threat to devolution and called on President Uhuru Kenyatta to recall for redeployment all other members of the PA, as he did to former PCs and other provincial heads.

Ong’era said President Uhuru should be true to the promise he made to Kenyans that his government will ensure devolution works by getting rid of all the impediments to the county governments.

“The President has promised his regime was not taking devolution as an option. We want him to demonstrate his sincerity and walk the talk by first dealing with the other members of the former PA system,” she said.

Squabbling leaders

She said since the election of Members of the County Assemblies, the elected leaders have faced challenges and competition, with members of PA often standing in their ways in jurisdiction battles.

She said the squabbles being witnessed in many counties between governors and County Commissioners was an indicator devolution will not succeed with the presence of members of PA, who she said had created parallel centres of power and were keen to frustrate devolution.

She said if the competition in the counties, which she said was being instigated by the County Commissioners keen on fighting the sovernors, will not be put to an end through the intervention of the Government then the spirit of devolution would not be realised.

“Kenyans adopted new Constitution because it guaranteed devolution. Unless we ensure the same is not killed, the Government will have shortchanged citizens,” she said.

Ong’era’s sentiments comes at a time when the Senate, whose main responsibility is to take care of the interests of the county governments, has promised to review a law passed in the last Parliament entrenching members of the PA in the devolved system.

Devolution success

Former Attorney General and Busia Senator Amos Wako has promised to table a Bill to amend the National Government Coordination Act, with the aim of entirely scrapping the positions of PA to ensure devolution succeeds.