CRA: County governors should serve Kenyans for 8 years

The outgoing Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA) Chairman Micah Cheserem (left) greets Homa Bay Governor Cyprian Awiti in his office on December 16, 2016. Cheserem said MPs should undertake constitutional amendments to enable Governors serve a single continuous term of eight years. [Photo:JAMES OMORO/Standard]

The Commission on Revenue Allocation’s (CRA) outgoing chairman, Mr Micah Cheserem, wants constitutional amendments to be introduced to allow governors to hold office for one eight-year term so that they can focus on running their counties.

Speaking when he paid a courtesy call to Homa Bay Governor Cyprian Awiti and his Deputy Hamilton Orata, Mr Cheserem said governors often found themselves distracted during elections and are therefore unable to effectively manage their counties.

“Governors should serve for a continuous term of eight years to shield them from the pressure of competing in General Elections,” said Cheserem. The chairman said this would give governors ample time to undertake development projects.

“Many governors are under pressure to campaign in order to retain their seats. That pressure would not be there if they had a single term of eight years,” he added.