Governors call for quick fixing of devolution challenges as conference kicks off

Security beefed up at Kisumu International airport as delegates expected to attend Devolution Conference in Kakamega streamed in ahead of the event. [Photo by Denish Ochieng/Standard]

Governors have cited inadequate resources and conflict with national government among eight challenges that have undermined devolution and slowed down investment in development.

Council of Governors Chairperson Josphat Nanok identified the eight challenges as unclear specification of functional assignments across levels of sub-national government, mismatch between expenditure responsibilities and revenue assignments and poor intergovernmental communication, coordination and cooperation between national and county governments.

"Others are lack of domestic ownership in policy-making, county governments often being in a reactive mode regarding upcoming policy or fiscal shifts and do not drive policy debates and inadequate performance of county governments as a result of incomplete devolution implementation," Nanok.

He added, "Lack of adequate resources, inability to exercise the constitutional authority governors hold effectively, deficiencies in county government internal management to transparently, effectively and efficiently provide public services, manage their finances and local development and build stronger communities are the other challenges.

Nanok said county governments want restructuring, aligning, downsizing and rationalizing of the national government ministries, departments in line with the devolved system of governance.

According to CoG, acute barriers are standing on the way to effective, efficient and accountable devolved system of the government.

This, they say will ensure that delivery of pubic and social services that meets human rights standards.

He said the targeted ministries are infrastructure, energy, communication, education, health, security, justice, environment, water and agriculture.

"We also need to restructure finance including trade, taxation, manufacturing, borrowing, regulatory, social protection, sports, culture, recreation, urban development, housing and physical panning and international relations," Nanok said.

Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya, called on the national government to ensure the allocations to county governments are increased.

"Big budget allocations to national ministries, departments and agencies must significantly be reduced as majority of them have policy and regulatory mandate while Counties hold responsibility of service delivery," Oparanya said.

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