Governors revive calls for a referendum to strengthen devolution

Governors have renewed their calls for a referendum with plans to unveil their own technical team to steer the process.

Among the issues the governors want addressed by the poll include an increased revenue allocation to counties, the notorious underfunding of Level Five hospitals and parliament's enactment of anti-devolution laws.

Governors want the revenue allocation to devolved units increased from a minimum of 15 per cent to 45 per cent of the preceding financial year's total revenue raised nationally.

They also want management of Level Five health facilities granted to county governments and the funding to the facilities be increased. This is after a parliamentary mediation committee appointed to find common ground on the Division of Revenue Bill 2014 reduced allocations to Level Five hospitals from Sh3.4 billion allocated in the last financial year to Sh1.87 billion.

Governors were angered by the Mutava Musyimi led-committee recommendation that the allocations to the regional hospitals be administered by the national government instead of the counties as was previously the case.

“The money that has been allocated to counties is only enough to run for six months. County governments have the capacity to manage the hospitals and there is no reason why there needs to be interference from the national government,” Council of Governors Chairman Isaac Rutto said.

President Uhuru Kenyatta's approval of the County Government Amendment Bill 2014 has also raised eyebrows with governors saying it was intended to rid them of administrative powers and scuttle devolution. 

Governors have moved to court challenging the legality of the Act, which places senators above governors regarding development projects in the counties.

“This law is unconstitutional and one that seeks to bring confusion to the counties,” Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi said. The governor also reiterated that the act was a clear indication that some elements in government were out to scuttle devolution by weakening governors.

Governors have said they will lobby for support for their own referendum even as the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) plans for a national vote on a number of contentious issues most of which the Jubilee administration has failed to address.

“We don't know if, at some point, we will reach convergence on some issues. But for now we are not turning back, we want to strengthen devolution,” Kisii Governor James Ongwae said adding that governors would not stand down on their fresh bid since it was clear that the Jubilee government had failed to safeguard devolution.

“We want to ensure devolution works. And the push for a referendum is unstoppable,” Meru Governor Peter Munya said.

Governors have already formed a referendum steering committee to guide the referendum process.

Members of the committee include Bomet Governor, Isaac Rutto, Ken Lusaka (Bungoma), Peter Munya (Meru), Ahmed Abdullahi Mohammed (Wajir), Ali Roba (Mandera), Ukuru Yattani (Marsabit) and Nderitu Gachagua of Nyeri.

Others are David Nkedienye (Kajiado), Evans Kidero (Nairobi), William Kabogo (Kiambu), Cleophas Lagat (Nandi), Jack Ranguma (Kisumu), Salim Mvurya (Kwale), Kivutha Kibwana (Makueni) and Wycliffe Oparanya (Kakamega).