Assemblies forum opposes regional governments

The County Assemblies Forum (CAF) has opposed the formation of regional governments as proposed by the Council of Governors (CoG).

The group, led by Forum Chairman Ndegwa Wahome said county governments should remain as they are.

“If we add these regional governments we will be in courts fighting over who owns this and that resource and Wanjiku will suffer the most,” Wahome said.

“We are not creating a war with the CoG, we are only saying what is sensible that Kenyans are over represented.”

The leaders were speaking yesterday while presenting their views before the Steering Committee on the Implementation of the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) in Nairobi.

They said 45 per cent of the national revenue should be devolved to the counties as the current allocation is insufficient.

“Money should come to the counties where Wanjiku is. We expect the assemblies will be put in their right place as the National Assembly functions should be cascaded to the county assemblies,” said Wahome, who is the Nyandarua speaker.

He said counties should be basic units for development. “We need to have a counties ward fund established in the National Treasury and channelled to the county assemblies.”

The MCAs also want their oversight role strengthened.