Ndung'u Wainaina
By Ndung’u Wainaina
President Ruto and National Assembly have been subjecting devolution to fundamental undermine and systematic ‘take what given’ destructive path.
Critical policy decisions on legislation, budget and fiscal are made by national government without consultation and consent of devolved units.
Also there is subtle retention and grab of devolved functions and funds.
It is important to note that after 10 years of devolution, counties have become the launch pads for economic development, agricultural and industrial transformation; centres of innovation, private sector growth and services delivery.
Devolution enables people to tap their unique potential and prioritise local needs away from the centrally controlled economy, security and governance.
Devolution has not only improved the economic and social welfare of people in rural areas, it has, to a great extent, increased the democratic space.
The primary national conversation is the devolution of resources and power, economic democracy and freedom, and tackling inequities.
Since devolution started, the national executive and its agencies have exercised undue power leverage against the county governments.
These include delaying or slashing their revenues, enacting recentralisation laws and administrative policy actions and finance policies that undermine deepening of devolution.
Most national laws in respect of key devolved functions are largely not compliant with the Constitution.
The critical sectors affected are health, agriculture, public finance, trade and industry, land, physical planning, urban development, natural resource management, water and roads.
These functions constitutionally fall squarely under the jurisdiction of county governments providing key services to local people.
County governments must have a voice on key national fiscal, taxation and economic policy decision-making processes. Big budget allocations to ministries, departments and agencies should be reduced significantly as majority of them have a policy and regulatory mandate while counties are responsible for service delivery.
It should be more about counties and less about the national government. In addition, all scattered devolved funds in counties should be consolidated under the County Treasury.
National Treasury must be reformed to efficiently serve two levels of government. This will streamline and hasten the process of transferring funds, conditional grants and donor funding to county governments.
Ndung’u Wainaina is a Transitional Justice and Human Security Fellow
Ends….
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