Battle of wits as governors parade absurd victories at devolution’s third birthday

The just concluded third annual devolution conference in Meru provided governors an avenue to show case strides made in their counties.

Just like a beauty pageant where contestants put their best foot forward, county governments were falling over themselves buying space in various media platforms to show the world what they have done in the last three years.

After all, the counties cumulatively have so far received more than Sh700 billion from the national government.

With such mind boggling sum, one would expect life changing development projects.

Granted, some counties have made impressive strides. Yet, what some term as achievements border on the absurd.

Let us begin from the cradle of mankind. Turkana County Governor Joseph Nanok’s list of proof that devolution was indeed working include the discovery of oil, presence of huge water aquifers in the county and the fact that the region is known as the home of mankind. None of these have anything to do with the county government.

“Before devolution, a mention of Turkana was a clear reflection of poverty, disease and despair. Today, everyone wants to be a Turkana. Turkana has oil, it has huge water aquifers, it is the origin of mankind and turning point for tourism in the country,” reads the governor’s message.

Mind you that in March 2012, a year before the devolved governments came into being, former President Kibaki announced that Tullow Oil had discovered oil in Lokichar basin in Turkana.

Another indicator of devolution in the county according to Mr Nanok is that the public were now ‘flocking to the office of the governor and not the office of the County Commissioner’ for assistance.

Close working relationship

In tea rich Kericho County, Governor Paul Chepkwony is lauded for providing a solution to exam cheating in schools.

The cheating, particularly in last year’s national exams was so rampant that it necessitated a criminal investigation into the entire exam system. Enter  Mr Chepkwony with a brilliant solution to this. He penned a self-help book on how to succeed in exams without cheating.

“As the country witnessed recent run-away cheating in exams, and other related examination irregularities, HE Prof Paul Chepkwony, an academician, out of frustration offered a solution by penning a booklet, Roadmap to Academic Excellence, which is a well-researched document aimed at advising students on how to succeed in exams without resorting to other unscrupulous ways,” reads the write up from the county’s communication department. The county is convinced that there is a direct correlation between the governor’s writing exploits and ‘marked improvement in the county’s Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education results.

“The drastic improvement in the recent KCSE results in most of the schools perhaps confirms the fruits of such initiatives,” the write-up reads.

On keeping the Green Agenda alive, Kericho’s Environment department prides itself with providing 20 garbage bins.

“The county has provided 20 garbage bin-skips at various strategic points in major towns to assist in garbage disposal.”

The governor also boasts the close working relationship with the county assembly equating to that of Siamese twins.

“It is in Kericho where the executive and the county assembly exist like Siamese twins.”

This should of course not take away the fact that the county assembly is supposed to provide oversight to the executive.

Some counties ended up joy riding on projects they had previously distanced themselves from. A case in point is Nakuru County which is praised for being the first town to enjoy a public-funded Wi-Fi connection.

This is a contradiction from earlier dispatches by Governor Kinuthia Mbugua who denied that the county put money in the controversial project which was subject of investigation by the county assembly after it flopped.

“Nakuru town became the first to enjoy a public-funded Wi-Fi connection to enable residents access internet for free. With this it joined Kigali in Rwanda, and the City of Tshwane in South Africa as the three cities in Africa where public authorities provide Wi-Fi connection free of charge.”

Tarmac road

In Meru, Governor Peter Munya says programmes in the livestock sub-sector have been so successful that the county has more cattle than it can sustain.

In Nandi County, Governor Cleophas Lagat prides himself with doing four kilometres of tarmac road in the last three years.

“The county has tarmacked 4km of roads in Nandi Hills and Kapsabet towns in an urban rehabilitation plan designed to improve sanitation and enhance drainage.”

In a photo essay of steps taken to build a secure and viable Nandi County, an ordinary calculator is on display captioned with a telling phrase: “Some of the gadgets in use in Nandi County.”

There is no mention of the controversial Sh14.5m construction of Mlango Gate at the border of Nandi and Uasin Gishu which the public dismissed as wastage of funds.

The 2013 Kenya Economic Survey showed that people live longer in Bomet County. This too, according to Governor Isaac Ruto, is down to devolution.

“With devolution, they are now likely to live even longer. We pay monthly stipend of Sh2,000 to elderly persons above the age of 70.”

Governor Ruto also adds that before devolution, Longisa hospital used to receive only 30 patients, but this has shot up to12,000.

In Kisii, among key achievements is five car wash sheds to empower youth.

Wajir County prides itself with laying solid foundation for growth, the health department lists mobile clinics donated through the First Lady’s Beyond Zero campaign.

Isiolo Governor Godana Doyo was quick to burst the bubble of expectation that Kenyans might have on devolution three years later.

“We may not have achieved or met people’s expectations but I must report that we are on the right track,” he says before enumerating what his government has done which includes purchase of seven tractors for farmers, streamlining revenue collection and rehabilitation of a bridge.

Three years and more than Sh700 billion of public funds later, these were the milestones governors highlighted. A fourth governance conference is scheduled for next year.