Raila takes referendum drive to Narok

By Charles Ngeno and Kipchumba Kemei

Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) leaders yesterday took their campaign to Maasai land to push for a referendum to increase funding to counties.

Led by Raila Odinga, the leaders said there is need for the country to hold a referendum so that the allocation to the counties is anchored in the constitution. Speaking at Suswa grounds in Narok East yesterday, Raila said funding to counties is not a gesture of goodwill from the Jubilee government.

He said that Constitution places the allocation at 15 per cent minimum of the national revenue but does not say funding should be 40 per cent maximum. The former PM hit out at the government for renaming the Provincial Administration instead of restructuring it as stated in the Constitution.

 “This has created two centres of power at the county level thereby causing confusion among citizens. The provincial administrator should be answerable to the county governments,” said Raila.

 He said the referendum will also enable Kenyans to adopt a parliamentary system of governance instead of a presidential one.

“We will not relent until devolution succeeds. Governors need money to develop their counties as the money the national government is giving them is not enough,” said Odinga.

 He said a parliamentary system of governance would ensure democracy thrives, claiming that the presidential system propagates dictatorship.

 “We want a president who will be answerable to Parliament. This will also make him accountable to Kenyans,” he said, adding that he didn’t have a grudge against President Uhuru Kenyatta and his administration.

He accused the Jubilee Government of sabotaging the full implementation of the Constitution by denying funds to the counties, claiming that majority of Kenyans support Cord’s call for referendum. He said the government was spending money on projects which were not beneficial to Kenyans and asked them to demand accountability.

Former Cabinet inister William ole Ntimama asked the Maasai to support Cord’s bid for referendum if they want their lives to change, saying the money the national government was giving counties was too little to do substantive projects.