Governor Ruto to President Uhuru: Dissolve Makueni government

Council of Governors Chairman Isaac Ruto has asked President Uhuru Kenyatta to dissolve Makueni County government once the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) finishes verifying signatures collected from residents.

The Bomet Governor said there was need to heed the request by the people of Makueni to dissolve the county government and allow them to elect other leaders for better service delivery.

Speaking at Bomet Green Stadium during Jamuhuri Day celebrations on Friday, Ruto said governors supported the move since there was no progress in Makueni.

Nothing going on

“It does not make sense for the electorate when there is nothing going on because of leaders who do not read from a similar page. It is therefore wise that they go to the ballot to pick new leaders who will have their interest at heart,” Ruto said.

At the same time, Ruto differed with President Kenyatta’s Jamhuri Day speech on devolution and revenue sharing between the national government and the counties. He dismissed as a “fallacy” Uhuru’s assertion that 32 per cent of revenue had been sent to the counties.

“I am shocked to hear the President in the speech read by the County Commissioner talking about 45 per cent of the national budget. We are being clear that we want 45 per cent of the revenue collected,” Ruto said.

He said the President had misrepresented their demands in his speech by portraying them as requesting for money which they do not need. “We are demanding only Sh400 billion of the country’s Sh1.8 trillion budget to be put under the devolved units and not Sh800 billion,” he said.

In a speech read by the Bomet County Commissioner Bernard Leparmarai, the President said the Government had in the last fiscal year allocated 32 per cent of the budget to the counties and was presently working on increasing the allocation to 45 per cent.

Bomet Central MP Ronald Tanui said security should not be politicised but added that the two deputies of outgoing Inspector General David Kimaiyo should also step aside.