Why MCAs' tiff with Jubilee could boost CORD’s referendum push

Kenya: CORD's The referendum push got new lease of life last week after some County Assembly Members (MCAs) in the Rift Valley resolved to support it.

The referendum question has triggered debate in the region with some MCAs loyal to Jubilee now openly warming up to the idea of a nation plebiscite.

But even as CORD insists it  will collect more than one million signatures to press for a referendum as required by law, other local leaders have remained sceptical and have questioned  the Opposition’s motives.

Some  MCAs now say they will support the referendum in response to a decision by the Jubilee administration to cut down their expenditure. The leaders also accuse the national government of trying to micro-manage counties.

The ward representatives, who have often used their constitutional authority for leverage, are offended that the Controller of Budget Agnes Odhiambo has rejected their budgets for exceeding the stipulated ceiling. This, they claim, is a scheme by the national government to frustrate their work.

With the looming referendum, MCAs, including those from Jubilee strongholds, now say they would support the clamour by CORD to have the financial allocation to counties raised to 40 per cent of the national revenue up from the current 15 per cent.

Guarding devolution

“We will support the proposed referendum by CORD if need be to safeguard devolution,” Nakuru County Deputy Speaker Samuel Tonui said in support of the ward representatives. CORD may plan to centre its referendum campaign around the protection of devolved governments. Already, the County Assemblies have moved to court to challenge the constitutionality of the proposal to limit their budget, and termed it unconstitutional.

Also floated is a proposal to devolve some of the security apparatus of the state to the counties. This is  already finding favour with some Governors.

“Our recurrent expenditure is Sh314 million while allowances are Sh140 million. This means our assembly remains with nothing to take care of other vital duties,” said County Assembly Majority Leader Samuel Waithuki.

Njuguna Gichamu, a Jubilee MCA from Kuresoi, said Jubilee was the biggest enemy of devolution.   “A campaign to demonise MCAs has been going on and it is clear Jubilee has started to limit the influence of counties,” he added.

County Assembly officials have also accused President Uhuru Kenyatta of backtracking on statements he made at a retreat in Mombasa in February where he reportedly approved their request for car grants.  It had been anticipated that their terms for these emoluments would be similar to those enjoyed by MPs.

Botched meeting

Ward representatives claim that a scheduled meeting between the County Assembly Forum and Uhuru was also cancelled. After failing  to secure the grants, some of the assemblies unilaterally provided car and mortgage loans for their members but now fear that the slashing of their budgets by the Controller of Budget could complicate the repayment arrangement they had put in place.

“We now wonder  how we are going to meet and honour some of our financial obligations, including mortgage and car loans if our allowances and other benefits are slashed,” said Waithuki.

In Elgeyo Marakwet, MCAs who supported CORD’s calls for a referendum, said the national government was frustrating counties by micro-managing them through constitutional organs such as the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), Controller of Budget and Commission of Revenue Allocation (CRA).

Deputy Speaker Paul Suter, Leader of Majority Wilson Boit, his minority counterpart Benson Kiptire and nominated member Faith Chepkairor accused the government of plotting to minimise the authority of counties and vowed to back the Opposition coalition in its push for a referendum .

The Elgeyo-Marakwet assembly adjourned proceedings last week to discuss what it termed an onslaught on service delivery by the national government. Boit expressed concern over Parliament’s delay to pass the Division on Revenue Allocation Bill, saying this would completely cripple operations of county governments.

Ready to join

“We have had enough frustrations from the government and if what the Opposition is planning on the national referendum will back devolution, we are ready to join them,” said Kiptire.

However, some allied to Jubilee questioned motives of CORD leaders Raila Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka and Moses Wetang'ula in their push for a referendum.

Chesumei MP Elijah Lagat and Nandi’s Alfred Keter said holding a referendum now would be premature. “As leaders, we need to speak the truth. It is surprising that leaders who were fronting the new Constitution are now in the forefront calling for a referendum,” said Lagat.

He said: “There is nothing urgent to warrant a referendum”.

Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago and his Elgeyo Marakwet counterpart Alex Tolgos dismissed the MCAs concerns, and said the Jubilee government was focused on supporting devolution. “Let them try and they would receive the backlash from wananchi since the referendum is premature and unwarranted,” Mandago warned the MCAs.

He said CORD lacked an agenda and their objective was to frustrate the Jubilee government.

Elgeyo Marakwet URP chairman John Kangogo said most Kenyans would not support a referendum.

“Let the MCAs know the residents would reject their demands for a referendum since the electorate has faith in the Jubilee administration,” said.

 

–Story by Karanja Njoroge, Titus Too and Fred Kibor