Referendum can wait until 2016, governors say

Governors are not in a hurry to take the country to a national referendum saying the vote could wait until October 2016.

The governors said they were still waiting for the outcome of the ongoing negotiations with the national government on increasing funds allocation to counties.

But the county chiefs said they would in future need to amend the Constitution through a popular initiative to address emerging challenges in implementing devolution.

In what might be seen as a tactical retreat on the much-hyped referendum campaigns, Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto, who chairs the Council of Governors, yesterday told journalists at a Naivasha hotel their priority was to have more funds allocated to the counties to cater for devolved functions.

"The referendum is neither here nor there. The referendum is not going to happen this year. The earliest the country can go to a referendum is in October 2016 but we are interested in having our issues addressed through a popular initiative," said Ruto.

Ruto said those in Government should not panic over the referendum push, saying governors were still open to dialogue over concerns affecting implementation of devolution.

"We have heard MPs saying there are no funds for a referendum. We are not going for the referendum any time soon. We are only setting the stage to change the Constitution through a popular initiative and at the same time waiting to hear what Jubilee will offer," Ruto said.

Ruto, who was accompanied by close to 15 governors, said the council would continue collecting signatures to push for the popular vote but also engage the national government.

abandon campaign

He down-played claims the Pesa Mashinani campaign was losing steam, with the recent pronouncement by two governors - Cleophas Langat (Nandi) and Kericho's Paul Chepkwony - that they had abandoned the the campaign.

"None of the governors has said he does not want more funds to the counties. The issue has always been whether the country is ready to go for a referendum. Our quest for funds and the referendum are different and Kenyans should know that," he said.

But sources at the meeting said governors, especially those from the Jubilee side, preferred the council stopped the referendum campaign and instead pursued other avenues to have more funds allocated to the counties.

"The referendum issues have divided us sharply. Those in Jubilee have maintained that they would not appear in any of the meetings planned to campaign for the referendum and want the council to instead engage the national government," said a governor who did not wish to be named.

Another governor said there were indications the council might abandon the Pesa Mashinani campaign because it had failed to gain traction.

"You have been at the rallies and seen the poor turnout in areas where the campaigns have been launched. The campaign is a waste of time because only two or three of our colleagues have been active, " said the governor from Central Kenya.

Ruto said the council was also discussing issues affecting Makueni County and would soon release a comprehensive statement.

"We are waiting for Governor Kivutha Kibwana to arrive before we commence deliberations on what is going on at the county and offer a solution," he said.