Raila slams Senate for overseeing governors

ODM leader Raila Odinga during a joint parliamentary group meeting between ODM and UDA in Karen, Nairobi. [PCS]

ODM leader Raila Odinga has called on Members of County Assemblies (MCAs) to take full responsibility for overseeing governors, stating that the mandate does not belong to the Senate.

Speaking during a joint parliamentary group meeting between ODM and UDA in Karen, Nairobi, Raila accused Senators of wasting time by summoning governors to respond to issues that fall under the National Government, such as road projects.

"Senators are wasting governors' time, asking them to answer questions about roads. Oversighting governors is the responsibility of MCAs, not the Senate," Raila said.

The former Prime Minister further pushed for increased funding to county governments, insisting that MPs should strictly focus on law-making and oversight rather than engaging in development projects.

"Constituency is not an element of devolution. Implementation of projects at the constituency level is the work of county governments. MPs should not be involved in development because then there is no one to oversee them," he stated.

Raila added that most projects initiated by MPs had been taken over by counties, making them redundant.

He argued that the National Government should confine itself to national programmes, while county governments handle local development.

"MPs may not agree with me, but that is the truth. Development should be left to counties," he said.

This is not the first time Odinga has slummed in the Senate over the role.

Last week during the Devolution Conference, Raila urged the Senate to end its practice of summoning governors, arguing that only county assemblies should oversee county executives.