Lusaka appeals to US to increase support for devolution

US Ambasador to Kenya Robert Godec listens to Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka when he paid him a courtesy call in his office on January 4, 2018 [George Njunge, Standard]

The Senate Speaker has appealed to the United States government to increase its funding for devolution activities.

Kenneth Lusaka said he appreciated the US government’s assistance to initiatives geared at supporting devolved governance in the past five years but said there was still a need to boost the support.

Mr Lusaka, who spoke yesterday during a meeting with the US ambassador to Kenya, Robert Godec, said institutions such as county assemblies, the Senate, and the Council of Governors needed to be strengthened for the public to reap the fruits of devolution.

“We appreciate the past assistance that the US has accorded to the Senate and other institutions in boosting devolution. But we still call for more support to deepen devolution even further and make it work,”  he said when the envoy paid him a courtesy call at his office.

“There is also an urgent need to build the capacity of county assemblies as they are the first port of call in devolution. MCAs in the past five years lacked capacity to do oversight. Donor support in this area will be very key,” said Lusaka.

Since 2013, the US government has pumped in more than Sh5 billion to support the devolved system of government through the Agile Harmonised Assistance for Devolved Institutions (Ahadi) programme.

In partnership with government institutions, Ahadi has been involved in enhancing the capacity of county and national governments to implement devolution by providing knowledge-sharing mechanisms and building capacity.

Mr Godec reiterated the commitment of the US government to ensure that the new system works, noting that his country would continue funding institutions that support devolution.

“The US government is a strong supporter of devolution, which is a critical aspect of Kenya’s future. We have programmes already in place to strengthen devolution and we will continue to partnering with institutions that want devolution to work.

“Through Ahadi and other programmes, we have supported devolution.  Progressively, there will be an improvement of the funds we spend on the initiatives we have in the country as we get additional resources to Kenya,” said Godec.

Talks on the current political stalemate in the country also featured at the meeting, with the ambassador appealing to President Uhuru Kenyatta and opposition leader Raila Odinga to work together in uniting the country.

The envoy emphasised that all the issues that arose in the last elections need to be addressed for the country to move forward.