The Chairman of the deputy governors Forum, Dr Joash Maangi has disclosed that all deputy governors are backing the pesa Mashinani initiative, to ensure the government channels adequate funds to the counties.
Maangi, however, clarified that though Okoa Kenya and Pesa Mashinani Referenda campaigns were noble ideas, those behind the initiatives must first push for Transition Authority (TA) to fast-track costing of all devolved functions before the Authority is disbanded.
Speaking to the press in his office on Monday, Maangi who is also the Kisii Deputy Governor, argued that Okoa Kenya and Pesa Mashinani proponents have no formula through which they can base their argument on the percentage, which the National Government is supposed to base its allocations to the counties out of its national budget.
"Though we support the Council of Governors' Pesa Mashinani and Okoa Kenya initiatives, as Deputy Governors' Forum, we demand that the two initiatives join hands with us to push for completion of costing of all devolved functions, out of which we will have a basis to determine the percentage of funds to be allocated to the counties based on the devolved functions,” stated Maangi.
Maangi argued that the twin referenda campaigns pushing for more funds from the national Government to the counties will only make sense if the proponents of the initiatives first ensure costing of the devolved functions is completed to find a formula for pushing for more funds to the counties.