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The Senate County Public Investments and Special Funds Committee has raised concerns over the failure by most counties to fully operationalise municipalities within their jurisdiction.
The Committee Chairperson Senator Godfrey Osotsi said that the counties have got no option but to comply with the urban areas and Cities act and if they have any challenges the Council of Governors should engage Senators to have amendments done on areas of concern.
The matter came up when Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya, Kilifi Governor Gideon Mungaro, Nyandarua Governor Kiarie Badilisha, Tharaka Nithi Governor Muthomi Njuki, Embu Governor Cecil Mbarire, Lamu Governor Issa Timamy and Kwale Governor Fatuma Achani appeared before the committee.
“We need to have a sitting with the Council of Governors to deliberate on this matter since we have realised that most counties have not operationalized municipalities within their jurisdiction which is a requirement by the law, we need to know the challenges they are facing and what can be done,” said Osotsi.
Natembeya told the Committee that if municipalities collect revenue and use it at source it will affect counties Own Source Revenue streams and that it should be clear for what reasons they will be receiving the revenue stating that in his county the board has been given specific roles.
The Trans Nzoia Governor was taken to task by Nominated Senator Peris Tobiko over failure to appoint a substantive Municipal Manager since the current one has been acting for the last two years in which the Governor said that the process to recruit a new manager has been concluded.
Njuki said that in his county the municipalities will be fully operational by 2028 and that they have already appointed municipal managers to ensure that the process is successful and that various counties are looking for the best way to coexist with municipalities.
“The elephant in the room is how municipalities are expected to collect revenue in areas where the county governments have been collected the Own Source Revenue, we need to look at the best way to ensure that we comply with the law even as county operations are not affected,” said Njuki.
Badilisha said in Nyandarua County the municipalities are operational and transfer of power to them has been gradual for the last two years and that there was need for some balance on how they coexist with counties administration especially when matters to do with revenue collection are concerned.
Mungaro said that in Kilifi they are out to ensure that municipalities are working with the seconding of the required staff members to ensure that they are able to deliver on their mandate and it was important that there was a clear way in which the two entities relate to avoid friction.
Achani told the committee that in her county, Kwale and Diani municipalities are operational with their own budgets dealing with their own projects while stating that however the revenue streams were centrally managed by the county administration.
“Our main focus as Counties is funding early childhood education and health sectors after which we can allocate money to municipalities, that is why we need to engage with the Senate to look at the best way we can ensure that the law is adhered to,” said Achani.
