Kenya: MPs dismiss devolution forum, call for probe into funds use – Daily Nation

[Deeq A.]

National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale follows activities during a prize-giving day at Nairobi Muslim Academy on February 24, 2018. He has said governors should improve the welfare of their people. PHOTO | FRANCIS NDERITU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

---

Members of Parliament yesterday dismissed the ongoing devolution conference in Kakamega County as a waste of time and public resources.

The lawmakers instead called on the new Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji to prosecute governors who have misused public resources.

National Assembly Minority Whip Junet Mohammed said the aim of devolution to bring power and resources close to the people has been abused and instead a clique of people around governors have been looting public resources.

“In many counties, there is little to show even with the billions allocated to them each year. There is a need for high-profile prosecutions to rid counties of corruption,” Mr Mohamed said.

FLOODS

Majority Leader Aden Duale said: “About 15 counties are facing a humanitarian crisis yet the governors are busy showcasing to the public other things.

“The Governor of Tana River is in Kakamega while 15 villages in his county are marooned,” Mr Duale said.

The MPs complained that five years down the line, some counties still cannot put out simple fire outbreaks and disaster response was pathetic.

Jubilee Chief Whip Benjamin Washiali called for an audit of the outcome of the conference.

“Do governors really implement the resolutions reached in the conferences or it is just talks without action thereafter?” Mr Washiali asked.

PUBLIC FUNDS

He said governors need to come clean on the amount of money used in organising the conference.

“We must be told, as the House that approves budgets, how much the governors collected while organising the conference, how much was spent and what is done with the balance,” Mr Washiali said.

The Mumias East lawmaker accused the county chiefs of deliberately locking out members of the public from the conference with a demand of Sh20, 000 fee payable by anyone who wanted to attend.

Butere MP Tindi Mwale, however, said that despite the challenges, devolution has worked in some counties.

“We should not blame the conference in totality but look at the reasons the outcomes of the conferences have not been implemented,” Mr Mwale said.

Source: Daily Nation