Transition Authority says success of devolution rests with everyone playing their part

By ABDIKADIR SUGOW 

With myriad teething problems facing the 47 counties as they roll out development plans, the Transitional Authority (TA) has spent the past few weeks briefing governors and MPs on the status of devolution implementation.

The latest briefing was conducted last week before Parliament’s Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee (CIOC) where TA introduced the legislators to key milestones, emerging issues, opportunities, challenges and the way forward for the devolved system of governance.

Earlier, the authority had held sessions with the governors of the 47 counties. TA Chairman Kinuthia Wamwangi urged the governors to ensure they meet the requirements of the County Act before they can take over functions currently managed by the national government.

He said governors are required to officially apply and indicate whether or not they are ready to take responsibility for running departments previously managed by the central government.

Mr Wamwangi said governors must first account for the existing number of staff and assets (including equipment, vehicles and houses) in each department to be devolved before taking over the property.

“As we have already agreed with them (governors), they must meet the requirement before we hand over the functions to them,” said Wamwangi.

In a letter to the Governor’s Council chairman, Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto, TA states that the official gazettment of the transfer of functions rests with the Attorney General who is expected to ensure that all the procedural rules are strictly followed.   

He told the governors that before the transfer of functions are gazetted and officially moved to the county level, they need to ensure that they play their part and strictly follow constitutional provisions.

key tasks

In the meantime, the authority is seeking more funding to successfully facilitate the completion of the transfer of power and resources from the national level to the counties.   

Since its inception in July last year, TA has performed key tasks in fulfillment of its mandate and implemented them in consultation and partnerships with national government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), the Constitutional and Independent offices, including the Commission on the Implementation of the Constitution, Commission on Revenue Allocation, Office of the Auditor General, Office of the Controller of Budget, development partners and non-state actors.

Unbundling of functions will continue to cover all the MDAs that have not yet submitted their implementation plans. TA is also spearheading the preparation of Translation Implementation Plans for all the 47 counties.

In consultation with the National Treasury and line ministries, costing of devolved functions has been carried out. Efforts are being made to establish the actual costs of performing the functions to guide future budgeting.

Mapping of assets and liabilities is ongoing and a human resources inventory is also being finalised after initial functions were transferred to counties through gazette notice on February 1.

Functions were transferred to the counties from July 1, and the county governments are expected to apply for the functions under the Act. To date about 26 counties have applied for the functions.

Quick Readiness Assessments (QRA) have been undertaken in all the counties to establish county preparedness for uptake of functions. Human resource data has been received from the MDAs and the data from the former local authorities shared with the counties in which the local authorities fall.

Facilitate audit

TA plans to validate the data in the 2013/2014 financial year to facilitate an audit of the human resources of the MDAs. County infrastructure assessment has been conducted and the report used to allocate Sh3.2 billion to counties for infrastructure upgrading/refurbishment, including the acquisition of Hansard recording systems for the County Assemblies

Capacity assessments have been carried out for the counties and the report will be used to determine the capacity building interventions required in each county. TA will also conduct a capacity assessment for the national government in 2013/2014.

Assumption of Office of Governor Regulations oversaw the assumption of office of the governors, contributing towards a smooth transition to a devolved system of government.

Interim County Transition Teams were recruited and deployed to the counties after undergoing an induction course at the Kenya School of Government. Courses were conducted for Governors, Deputy Governors, Speakers, and Deputy Speakers of the County Assemblies and Members of the County Assemblies.

County Transition Coordinators, Interim County Secretaries, Clerks of the County Assemblies and Interim County Payroll Managers have been trained, while an induction course is being organised for the County Executive ive Committees, County Public Service Board and County Assembly Service Boards.

In coordination and partnership with relevant ministries and the National Assembly and consultants, TA has prepared draft standing orders for the County Assembly, procured relevant statutes for County Assemblies and guide books for the County Executive.