On Wednesday morning former prime minister Raila Odinga was the chief guest the fifth annual governors conference in Kakamega county that begun on Monday.
In his speech Raila Odinga proposed a three-tier government that would feature the counties, regional and the national government with a clear revenue-sharing formula in order to have viable economic units as was envisioned in the Bomas Draft of the constitution.
“As a matter of lasting solution to the problem posed by sizes of devolved units, we need to bite the bullet and revisit the structure of devolution,” Raila said.
” the Bomas draft divided Kenya into 14 regions, it is time to look at how to recover this original spirit.. my proposal is we adopt a three-tier system of government.”added Raila
He also cautioned the governors that development would never be achieved at the grassroots levels if the governors spent much of their time politicking and going out on unnecessary trips also frequented by county assembly members.
“Good governance and political leadership are at the heart of devolution. A Governor’s manifesto must find its way into the county development plan to inform social and economic development plan,” said Raila
Read also:
- Raila Odinga’s full speech at the 5th devolution conference
- Counties asked to embrace prudent use of resources.
“Achievements mean that Kenyans want more. The corruption network is eating devolution from inside out. MCAs and county speakers have on several occasions been accused of conflict of interest,” he added
He also mentioned that Devolution must bridge the gender gap in the country’s leadership and that Kenyans were not enjoying the best they could but they definitely have improved access to facilities and services.
“Devolution must bridge the gender gap in the country’s leadership. Our people are definitely not enjoying the best they could but they definitely have improved access to facilities and services like healthcare, roads, markets, early childhood development, agricultural services tan before, thanks to devolution”said Raila
He said fighting corruption was not a partisan affair which why his MoU with President Uhuru Kenyatta, signed on March 9, recognized it as an existential threat.
“In the March 9th handshake, we identified corruption as an existential threat. We must deal with it at all levels. We must encourage whistleblowers. Soon the corrupt will find themselves on their own,” he added.
