Governors talk tough on vote as signature collection launched

Governors have resolved to pursue a referendum parallel to that spearheaded by CORD, saying the agenda are different.

Council of Governors chairman Isaac Ruto said the electoral commission should be prepared to hold two separate votes, because governors are interested in more funds devolved to counties.

“We are not allied to political parties because as governors, we are working on behalf of the people who want national resources shared equitably between the national and county governments,” said Ruto.

Speaking during the official launch of the Pesa Mashinani campaign and collection of signatures to force the referendum, Ruto said the only reason they would stop the push was if the national government releases more funds to the counties.

Five governors who attended the launch at Bomet Green Stadium dismissed an attempt by the Jubilee government to pre-empt the referendum through a plan to allocate more funds to the counties by initiating a parliamentary process to amend Section 203 of the Constitution.

The county bosses said they do not have faith in Parliament. Governors present were Jack Ranguma (Kisumu) Wycliffe Oparanya (Kakamega), Stanley Ongwae (Kisii) Paul Chepkwony (Kericho), David Nkedienye (Kajiado) and Nandi Hills MP Alfred Keter.

“MPs cannot be trusted to amend the Constitution to raise revenue allocation to county governments from the current 15 per cent to 45 per cent. This issue must be taken to Kenyans to decide,” said Ruto.

Chepkwony said the governors’ referendum was based on 10 points which include devolving of land functions, roads, health services, agriculture and education.

“The only way to have the Constitution function smoothly and to protect devolution is to have this referendum. There is no turning back after collecting signatures,” said Chepkwony. Ongwae said the Jubilee government has failed to respond to demands by governors and therefore, should not expect them to back off the referendum.

“Ruto is not speaking on his own behalf. He is articulating issues close to the hearts of Kenyans. This is not a URP or CORD affair. The Pesa Mashinani push is unstoppable,” said the Kisii governor.

Devolved funds

Kisumu’s Ranguma said the country is yet to realise the full potential of devolution because money was being held at the national government.

He said the Sh220 billion allocation to the counties was a drop in the ocean compared to the Sh1.8 trillion budget in the current financial year.

“This country needs a hospital after every 1.5 kilometres and that can only be achieved if counties are given enough money. For the Constitution to be enacted, enough funds must be given to the counties,” said Ranguma.

Oparanya said on four occasions, governors had met President Uhuru Kenyatta to resolve the matter only to be given empty promises. He said Parliament has no goodwill to amend the Constitution because it was the same House that revised downwards the proposal by the Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA) for counties to get Sh279 billion annually.

“Parliament received the CRA proposal and slashed Sh50 billion without giving any good reason. As governors, we want that money. If it was given to us, the county governments would have gotten between Sh1 billion and Sh3 billion,” said Oparanya.

The Kakamega Governor said he would kick off the signature collection in his county today and his target is 500,000 voters in support of the referendum.

Nkedienye said his people are yet to enjoy the fruits of devolution because money meant for development was still with the national government. “It has been a nightmare budgeting with the little funds I have been receiving from the national government to finance projects,” said Nkedienye.

Keter, the only MP at the launch, told the governors not to relent in their push for the referendum, saying the Jubilee government was insincere when promising that Parliament would amend the Constitution. “In Parliament, we have tyranny of numbers and tyranny of sycophancy. There is no way Parliament can garner two-thirds majority to pass that law going by the way some MPs behave,” said Keter, who urged the governors to press on.

He said he has always and will always be in support of the referendum and that more MPs from the Rift Valley were backing the governors’ call. Keter said the reason Jubilee was against devolving more funds and functions to counties was because of corruption at the national government.

“This government is corrupt and all contracts awarded are determined by who pays more to senior government officials and some politicians,” he said. The event was attended by several MCAs.

– Stories by Steve Mkawale, Charles Ngeno and Gilbert Kimutai