Senate implementation committee has criticized the central government for what they termed as merger allocation to the county government and said that it was an indication of starving the local governments and being anti-devolution.
Speaking at the governor’s boardroom in a tour to visit all the counties, the chairman James Orengo also the Siaya county senator tasked the government to add more funds to the counties in order to sustain the many projects that they have mandated to oversee. He said they were being given very little and required to do much.
“One of the big challenge we have n our counties include insufficient funding and we are required to work miracles from that small amount. If we have to enjoy the fruits of devolution, then we are tasking the central government to give the counties more money. We senators are the protectors of devolution and we should ensure that counties are well funded so as we don’t run counties on debts and even dissolution,” said Orengo.
Similar sentiments were echoed bySenator Johnstone Muthama.
“According to article 96 of the Kenyan constitution 2010, senators are tasked to protect devolution and we want more money because we want devolution to survive,” Muthama said.
On matters ICT, the Uasin Gishu county Senator Isaac Melly has encouraged the county government to embrace ICT as the country moves slowly to automate all its services and to see that Nyamira is not locked out.
He said that Counties where ICT has been fully put in place, even revenue collection has either increased or doubled as it is not easily compromised. Services to the people have also been efficient.
He has also urged Governor John Nyagarama and Senator Kennedy Okong’o to end their fight and instead work together to realize development in the county and to the electorates.