Mandera Senator Billow Kerrow has laughed off calls for ‘Okoa Kenya’ referendum as an initiative of reducing costs of living among Kenyans.
He has said the referendum being pushed for by the opposition Cord Coalition spearheaded by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga cannot achieve low costs of living among Kenyans.
Speaking on Wednesday at Alpha Grain Millers Limited in Athi River during the launch of home baking floor “Kifaru Ngano” milling plant, the senator argued that the only way to bring down the cost of living was to invest in food industry as a nation.
He encouraged investors to take advantage of devolution and invest in the counties since there were more resources and opportunities in grass roots.
“There is no way we can reduce cost of living if that of production does not go down,” said Kerrow.
Kerrow called on the national government to support entrepreneurs who were out to support devolution by establishing businesses in the counties.
He said as a senator, he was in support of the proposed Public Private Partnership Bill 2014 that would soon be tabled in the national assembly to reduce costs of living among Kenyans alongside creating more opportunities.
The legislator said county governments should not engage in businesses and instead invite external investors and partner with them to make public private partnership reality.
He advised the governments to develop infrastructure and other services to reduce costs of production and subsequently those of living among there residents.