Resource constraints occasioned by the national Treasury’s failure to channel funds to counties has been blamed for the poor service delivery to the citizenry.
Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution chair Charles Nyachae said county governments are unable to implement programmes under the devolved functions as the national Treasury is still withholding funds.
Nyachae's sentiments come amid recent calls by the Deputy Governors' Forum chair Joash Maangi who challenged the Transition Authority to fast-track the devolved functions costing process to ensure funds are transferred to the counties to enable them implement projects.
Maangi, who is also the Kisii deputy governor said as deputy governors, they are pushing for faster conclusion of process to get a formula through which the devolved functions will be allocated funds by the national Treasury.
He lamented that the TA only transferred functions to the counties without the corresponding funds to run them resulting in service delivery challenges in the counties.
“County governments have been given devolved functions but the corresponding funds to run them are yet to be released. TA had not done proper costing of the functions by the time it devolved the functions making it difficult for the national Treasury to channel funds,” stated Maangi.
He said they were concerned that with the TA's mandate fast coming to a close, the process should be fast tracked so that the funds are channeled to counties under ‘Funds Follow Function’ principle.
“If TA is disbanded before the costing process is complete, then there will be a crisis as counties will be forced to wait for long to have the costing done," stated Maangi.
The two were speaking at Gusii Stadium on Thursday during celebrations to mark the fifth anniversary since the promulgation of the new constitution of Kenya in 2010.