Kidero yet to make a mark in Nairobi, three months on

By Protus Onyango

More than three months after the constitution of the Nairobi County Government, no effective services have been rendered to the public.

Apart from swearing in of the governor Dr Evans Kidero, the County Assembly speaker and Members of the County Assembly (MCA), nothing tangible seems to have taken place.

 Dr Kidero had promised in 100 days to collect garbage from the city streets and its residential districts, restore order in the traffic flow and human traffic on Central Business District (CBD) streets.

He had promised to control crime, enhance security and city planning, increase trade between Nairobi and other counties and increase enterprise and employment opportunities.

He had also promised maximise collection of county fees and licenses to improve and widen the revenue base.

But observers say he has done little to actualise his promises apart from suspending a few workers inherited from the defunct City Council of Nairobi.

Dr Kidero is on record complaining of corruption among the employees and inability to carry out his functions due to a huge debt he inherited.

Normal business

MCAs have been forced to operate from the City Hall as County Hall, which is designated as their Assembly is being renovated. Renovation work will take six months.

MCAs joined their counterparts across the country to boycott work protesting low remuneration by the Salaries Remuneration Commission (SRC).

As a result, the members have not debated and approved the county budget for 2013/2014 financial year. They are also yet to vet the Executive Committee members named by the governor.

Some of the nominees have said they are not interested in the job because of low pay.

“We have only agreed to have two special sessions to form the county budget and appointment committees to start discussing the budget and vet the Executive Committee nominees,” says Mr Peter Warutere of Roysambu ward.

He adds: “We cannot transact normal business until our salary issue is sorted out. We have a problem with some of the Executive Committee nominees and it will take long before we agree on the final list.”

His Ziwani counterpart Ms Millicent Mugadi says there was misunderstanding and confusion and things are not moving as anticipated.

Status quo

“We do not have offices and our governor is dealing with us based on our parties. We are stagnant and until we work together as a team, devolution might not work,” Ms Mugadi says.

There is also rivalry between National and County Government officials.

 Former Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi says the roles are not clear.

 “Let us implement the law that gives governors oversight authority over security matters in counties. This would quickly deter escalation of insecurity which we are witnessing now,” Mr Mudavadi says.

 Elgeyo Marakwet senator Kipchumba Murkomen, a lawyer who was a member of the Mutakha Kangu led Taskforce on Devolved Government says a lot needs to be done for devolution to realise its intended goals.

 “Devolution is guaranteed in the Constitution and although it is up and running, there are many shortcomings,” Mr Murkomen says.

 The senator says there is a scheme from some quarters to scuttle devolution.

 “There are centralist individuals from the public and private sectors who want to keep the status quo and gain direct benefits, say, from a centralised procurement system,” Mr Murkomen says.

 He adds: “These are the forces that are using MPs to move motions to scrap the Senate. If the Senate is scrapped, then devolution dies.”

He also points out that ignorance is a big threat to devolution.

Monitor

“Civic education should be provided to MPs, MCAs, the public service and Wananchi to understand devolution. People cannot defend or monitor what they do not know,” Mr Murkomen says.

 He says the Senate has already passed the Division of Revenue Bill that gives Sh258 billion to County Governments so that they can begin carrying out their functions.

 “Sh238 billion will be shared among the counties based on the Commission for Revenue Allocation (CRA) formula and Sh20 billion is grant to run provincial hospitals. ,” he says.

The Senator says he has already filed a motion in the Senate to address the MCAs issue.

 “Paying them the Sh79, 000 is setting up devolution for failure. With this small money, they won’t check the Executive which is fairly remunerated,” Mr Murkomen says.

 He adds: “The MCAs are not mere councilors who used to operate from their homes. This is a job that has attracted very highly learned people. Paying them peanuts is not fair,” Mr Murkomen says.