Security will not be devolved, says CS Waiguru

Kisumu,Kenya: Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru has said security will remain a national government function.

She, however, said the Government will see how best to involve governors in security matters.

Addressing the Press on the sidelines of the ongoing Devolution Conference, Ms Waiguru said the security challenges facing the country need a single command unit and devolving it will cause confusion.

“The Government can not devolve security now as this will create two or more lines of command and create confusion rather than tackle insecurity,” the Cabinet Secretary said.

She was reacting to the call by governors who had on Tuesday demanded that laws be made to allow them have a say in security issues in the country.

The governors had said as county bosses, it is important that they play a role in security because they have direct contact with the people and are better placed to tackle insecurity in their counties than any other State officers.

Waiguru said the Government has formed the Inter-Governmental Technical Relations Committee to manage relations between county and national governments so that there are no loopholes when the Transition Authority’s (TA) term comes to an end later this year.

She said the Government is at the moment unable to transfer all functions to the counties because of a pending court case filed by the Council of Governors (CoG) challenging the Government to transfer road management to counties.

“Until this case is heard and determined, and a pending bill in the Senate touching on the transfer of functions is approved, we can’t devolve some of the remaining functions,” she said.

CORRUPTION WAR

At the same time, deputy governors have backed President Uhuru Kenyatta in his war against corruption.

The deputies said corruption is to blame for increased levels of insecurity and other vices that are affecting the nation.

They also appealed to the Senate to draft laws that will anchor their office in law and give them specific responsibilities so that they can play a role in fighting corruption.

Speaking to the Press, the deputy county bosses said they want their roles defined because they are being frustrated by governors who have ‘tied’ their hands when it comes to management of county affairs.

Led by the Deputy Governors Forum Chairperson Evalyn Aruasa (Narok), they said some of them have been completely left out of the management of counties affairs by their bosses.

“We support the President on the fight on corruption and insecurity but we feel we are neglected by governors. We are the governors’ right hand people but some of them are treating us like second class citizens. That is why we want our office to be anchored in law not just for us but for those who come after us,” Ms Aruasa said.

They cited the case of Kisumu Governor Jack Ranguma who failed to introduce his deputy, Ruth Odinga, when he was introducing Kisumu leaders to the Head of State during the official launch of the conference on Tuesday.