Governors, Senators and MCAs to fight for funds

The Council of Governors has vowed not to allow the national government room to kill devolution by denying counties funds.

COG Chair Wycliffe Oparanya, his deputy Mwangi wa Iria and council member Ndiritu Muriithi said this coming week will prove decisive in the country’s quest to fulfill its devolution dream.

Together with Senate and Members of County Assembly, COG is plotting to move to court and to stage sit-ins outside the National Treasury in a bid to force a consensus on the Division of Revenue impasse.

They have vowed to go to court and hold a demo at the National Treasury.

The Bill collapsed on June 13 when the mediation teams representing the National Assembly and Senate failed to agree on Sh20 billion, while Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich went ahead to read the budget after Cabinet approval.

Rotich used the Sh371 billion proposed allocation to counties in the budget, ignoring the Senate’s rejection of the same in the Sh3.1 trillion budget.

“The fact that the National Assembly and the National Executive proceeded to appropriate their own monies to the exclusion of the counties speaks volumes. This is unprecedented assault on devolution and the consequences are mind-boggling,” Muriithi said yesterday.

“Is there any greater right in this nation than the right to health services, clean drinking water and clean environment for a citizen? How can MPs ignore this and vote for payment of salaries at the expense of the needs of wananchi?” asked Oparanya.

Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei said the legal papers are ready and they stretch beyond the Division of Revenue. “We are challenging the 21 laws passed by the National Assembly in disregard of the Senate’s input.”