Who will look over the Governors’ shoulder?

The trend where governors are swearing into office executive members after their own county assemblies have rejected them are sowing seeds from which only bitter harvest can be expected.

What is more, some governors are breaking the spirit, if not the letter, of the very Constitution that created the offices they hold and which they swore to protect.

Their actions are opening doors for aggrieved parties to go to court to seek interpretation of the Constitution. This means the work of the affected assemblies is likely to be paralysed for months as the lawyers argue their cases in courts of law.

Apart from the legal profession, it is hard to see any other sector of society that will benefit from this sad turn of events.

Common sense dictates that the institutions charged with the responsibility of over-seeing county authorities should step in before the matter degenerates further.

Considering the work awaiting county authorities following the devolution of services to their level from the centre, it is hard to see what the governors seek to achieve by treating their elected colleagues in this cavalier fashion.

Perhaps, power has gone into these governors’ heads and imagine they can behave like they believe the holders of those titles behaved in colonial times. Be that as it may, the Constitution has already vested enough powers and responsibilities on the governor’s office to keep the holder pretty busy.

According to the County Governments Financial Management Bill 2011, the governor is to provide the general political guidance over the fiscal and financial affairs of the county.

He is to monitor and oversee the exercise of responsibilities assigned to the accounting officer and chief financial officer of the county by setting priorities that guide the budget process.

The governor determines how the integrated development plan is to be taken into account or revised for the purpose of the budget while also identifying any financial problems facing the county including any emerging or impending financial problems.

He is also the link between the county and the Controller of Budget and the Cabinet Secretary for Devolution and Planning.

Clearly, governors have their hands full and do not need any distraction. Sadly, that distraction is likely to come from their own houses at the very time they are also clamouring for extra revenues.