Resolve Bomet, Kericho counties levy dispute

The need for county governments to co-exist peacefully cannot be over emphasised. This is especially so where the possibility of disputes arising from shared resources exist. Six years into devolution and because devolution is a new concept that we are trying to perfect, there are certain areas that still need refining.

The experiment with devolving the health function and the problems that attended it should have taught us a lesson or two if only to prove that devolution is more than having a governor in place to manage the affairs of the county unit.

Counties complement each other and should strive towards having healthy working relationships.Bomet and Kericho counties have a dispute over who, between them, should be receiving taxes from Uniliver Tea Company as land rates for two of its tea estates; Ngoina and Kericho Tea Estates. According to Kericho Governor Paul Chepkwony, Uniliver should be paying the rates to Kericho County, but Bomet County has been collecting the land rates.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission must have clearly demarcated county boundaries prior to 2013 hence; the geographical location of the tea estates should not be an issue.

Six years into devolution, questions regarding who issued operating licenses to Uniliver has not arisen. Why the belated quarrel between Bomet and Kericho counties on an issue that can be quietly sorted out at a round table? Alternatively, the Council of Governors must surely have a dispute resolution mechanism in place that Bomet and Kericho counties could benefit from.