You have no choice but to give us Sh335 billion, governors tell Uhuru

Council of Governors Chairman Wycliffe Oparanya with Kajiado Governor Joseph ole lenku (left) and Kisumu’s Anyang’ Nyong’o at Sarova Woodlands Hotel in Nakuru on Thursday. [Harun Wathari, Standard]

Governors insist that the National Treasury must release Sh335 billion for them to effectively discharge their roles.

Speaking just a day after President Uhuru Kenyatta declared that he will not give counties a shilling more, Council of Governorschair Wycliffe Oparanya said  they must get their rightful share of the revenue as prescribed in law.

“We have done our best, but we stand on the issue of Sh335 billion. Look at the inflation, last year we were allocated Sh314 billion, we got the inflation of about six per cent, the amount came to Sh372 billion and that’s why the Senate was insisting on the figure of Sh327 billion,” Mr Oparanya said in Nakuru at the close of a conference to discuss the future of devolution.

“Our position as governors is that if we have to provide the services that we are supposed to provide, Sh335 billion is a comfortable figure.” 

The Kakamega Governor said the national government has no choice but to fund counties. “We must be funded, whatever happens. It is now up to the Senate and the National Assembly."

The COG chairman announced that governors will now progress with Ugatuzi Initiative to seek amendment of the Constitution as a way to strengthen devolution and avoid the current scenario where funds to the counties were being dished out as a favour and not a right.

“You remember that during the inaugural county government, we had the Pesa Mashinani Initiative that failed. But this time round, we will roll out the Ugatuzi Initiative to seek amendments to the Constitution,” he said without elaborating on the issue.

Referendum calls

The governors said they will soon share with county assemblies its own proposals for constitutional referendum and will hold meetings countrywide to popularise the documents.

“The national and county governments will enhance consultation, cooperation and collaboration in the proper coordination of various frameworks,” the governors said in their joint communication.

They also said county governments will strengthen the structural institutions to enable them deliver services to its citizens at village level. To do so, they will partner with private sector to enhance growth and development.

Budget allocations between the county assembly and executive, they recommended, should be separated and the Council of Governors should have a spokesperson to protect and champion devolution.

The governors said the call for national dialogue should focus on strengthening devolution and make sure legislation is introduced in both houses, separate from the Finance Bill, to ensure the Commission for Revenue Allocation (CRA) is converted into a fiscal commission with independent powers.

On Thursday, President Kenyatta waded in to the Division of Revenue Bill debate, telling governors to use the money available as “they won’t see a coin more from the national government”.

“Huwezi kukula ile ambaye hujapanda. Tunataka county zetu zifanye kazi lakini ukienda uitishe pesa ambaye haiko itatoka wapi?” posed Mr. Kenyatta. (You can’t eat what you haven’t sowed. We want our counties to work, if you ask for money that is not available, where will it come from?)

“We have given them what we have and what we know we can find.”

Starved counties

The governors have also accused the National Treasury of ignoring CRA recommendations on the sharing of revenue between the national government and the devolved units.

Last week, governors filed an application seeking an advisory from the Supreme Court on the failure by Parliament to pass the Bill which they said has starved counties of funds.

Chief Justice David Maraga was however reluctant to hear the application asking the parties to dialogue to help unlock the stalemate.

“But we will hear it if we must,” said Maraga.

On Wednesday, the Senate passed their version and settled on Sh335 billion as the equitable shareable revenue for counties.