Opinion: Boost revenue structures in counties

Treasury

A dangerous trend is cropping up – that of counties persistently blaming their failings on the national Government.

From stalled projects, pilferage of funds, lethargy by ward reps and utter lack of accountability, many counties have epitomised sleaze.

Suffice to say, lack of self-drive and over-dependence on the national Government for resources explains why most of the 47 counties are struggling.

As semi-autonomous units, they can do better to ensure they sustain themselves economically to avoid disruptions in service delivery.

We take this opportunity to laud 18 counties that have defied the odds to grow their revenue bases in the last financial year, which has now earned them a Sh6.8 billion ‘reward’ from Treasury under the fiscal responsibility allocation.

Baringo, Bomet, Bungoma, Embu, Kericho, Kilifi, Kisumu, Lamu, Machakos, Makueni, Marsabit, Meru, Mombasa, Nandi, Nyandarua, Samburu, Siaya and Turkana counties will benefit from the windfall in the next financial year.

In the last financial year, locally collected revenue in counties fell by more than a 25 per cent.

This should worry every Kenyan who believes, and rightly so, that devolution holds the key to a better future.

We urge every governor to pull all the stops to raise funds and ensure no projects stall. Counties shouldn’t throw away the devolution baby with the bath water.