Governors agree to stick to agenda and not read president’s speech

By AUGUSTINE ODUOR and ANTONY GITONGA                                    

All Governors will participate in today’s Madaraka Day celebrations that will be marked across the country.

The Council of Governors said after extensive meetings spanning three days ago, they would not read the president’s speech.

The Chair of the Council, Isaac Rutto, said the District Commissioners would read President Uhuru’s speech and thereafter invite the Deputy Governor.

He said the Deputy Governor would then invite the Governor to deliver his speech for the day.

Addressing the press yesterday at their new office in Jogoo House, Mr Rutto said the Central Government has its agenda and noted that County Governments also have their agenda.

Not willing

He said even when requested to, no Governor will be willing and ready to read the President’s speech. But it should be known that all then Governors are fully part of the celebrations. “There is no way that a Governor can read the President’s agenda and also read the agenda of his Government. These are two distinct governments,” he said.

He said the Governors have also agreed that part of their speeches will be similar across the 47 counties.

“The remaining parts of the speech will be for the individual Governors and their local needs and plans,” he said.

Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana accompanied Rutto and the Transitional Authority Chairman Kinuthia Mwangi.

Separately, Rutto urged Members of Parliament to set aside their differences with Senators and debate soberly the Division of Revenue bill.

He said the Sh210 billion allocated to counties is not enough and noted that many counties will run under deficits.

“We need some Sh258 billion, otherwise with the current allocation we shall have some counties trail with between sh 100 million and Sh3billion deficits,” he said.

He said Governors may soon not be able to pay salaries for their staff if the allocation is not up scaled.

“We need a sober approach to the debate and we ask the MPs and senators to set aside their differences. We ask MPs to relax and allow counties to start operations on the right footing,” he said.

 At the same time, the Council of Governors has asked for more budgetary allocation and demanded for new offices in Nairobi for all the 47 Governors.

The leaders said they wanted funding to the counties increased and from the current Sh210B to Sh258B.

They warned that crucial services in the counties could stall if the money was not factored in the budget next week.

Ordinary services

According to the Governors Council chairman Isaac Rutto, the current allocation would only see ordinary services rendered and not the devolved ones. “The funds that we have already been allocated are meant for delivery of normal services as well as salaries and we want more allocation for counties to function properly,” he said.

Rutto, who is also the Bomet Governor, demanded that each governor get an office in Nairobi for easier transaction of duties.

“We have one office for the governors’ summit in Jogoo House in Nairobi and we are demanding better offices for all the 47 governors,” he said.

He said the state had an oversight control over the counties that was against the Constitution, as they were supposed to work independently. “You cannot talk about devolution with the state controlling 86 per cent of the total expenditure and yet 70 percent of government functions have been devolved to the counties,”

The chairman said a circular sent to them indicated the counties were supposed to get 14 per cent of the Budget allocations and questioned the criteria that were used.

“They are basing it on the 2011-2012 fiscal year budget where the estimates were lower than the current Sh1.6Tn and this should be changed”.