Excitement as Senators begin sessions in Eldoret

Senate Speaker Kenneth Lusaka (third left) is joined by senators during a tour of the the Uasin Gishu County Assembly in Eldoret yesterday. [Kevin Tunoi, Standard]

Excitement was in the air yesterday as senators converged in Eldoret for the first sitting outside Nairobi since the start of devolution.

There was brisk activity at the Uasin Gishu County Assembly where the 67 legislators will be holding their plenary and committee sittings until the end of the week.

Hundreds of people wanting access to the venue were kept away by hawk-eyed security personnel, who allowed only accredited staff and journalists to enter. Security was equally tight at the office of Governor Jackson Mandago.

Inside the county assembly grounds, the programme went on seamlessly, with Senate Speaker Kenneth Lusaka being officially received by County Assembly Speaker David Kiplagat.

Mr Lusaka said the decision to bring the Senate to ‘mashinani’ would allow citizens to meet their representatives.

“We are the first House to implement Article 126 of the Constitution by holding sittings outside the capital city. We want to understand what is going on in the counties,” he said.

Good for counties

“We want to remove this perception that we are an ivory tower of some kind. By taking the Senate to the counties, the public will be accorded an opportunity to understand what we do.”

Senators who spoke to The Standard were optimistic that the sessions would be fruitful.

“This is good for counties because it will create capacity and sharing with senators,” said Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang’, who chairs the County Public Accounts and Investments Committee.

Mr Kajwang’ said they would interrogate governors from Baringo, Uasin Gishu and West Pokot counties on the 2013-2014 audit reports.

Narok Senator Ledama ole Kina said the sittings would give them an opportunity to interact with citizens.

“It will give counties an opportunity to change how they do their work. We also want to fast-track reports and implement resolutions.”

The senators also protested the national government’s move to slash Sh9 billion meant for the counties, saying it would deny citizens a chance to benefit from development activities despite paying taxes.

“Counties need resources to run projects but the move has complicated everything,” said Nandi Senator Kiprotich Cherargei.

Uasin Gishu Senator Margaret Kamar said the Senate should have been involved in the decision-making instead of leaving it to the National Assembly.

“We are not comfortable seeing money slashed instead of being increased for development,” she said.

In the afternoon, senators and members of the county assembly played a football match at Eldoret Sports Club.