Governors won’t drop push for more funding, says Ruto
Deputy President William Ruto with Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto at the Kenya School of Government during the second Inter-Governmental Budget and Economic Council meeting early this year. PHOTO | FILE |
What you need to know:
- The Bomet governor said the push for more money to the counties was unstoppable.
- He said some governors, especially from the Mount Kenya region, had taken the back seat on the Pesa Mashinani campaign.
Council of Governors chairman Isaac Ruto has denied that he has abandoned the Pesa Mashinani referendum campaign.
The Bomet governor said the push for more money to the counties was unstoppable.
He was responding to recent media reports that suggested the governors’ campaign, which he is leading, had stalled.
“Claims that the Council of Governors has backtracked on its push for a referendum is a misrepresentation of facts. We are in this for the long haul,” he told Nation yesterday in an interview.
Mr Ruto said the council was demanding an equal share of the national revenue between the two levels of the government and not a share of the national government’s budget.
He denied that an increase of funding to the regional governments would trigger an increase in taxes, saying the funds were already factored in the budget.
TAKEN THE BACK SEAT
He said some governors, especially from the Mount Kenya region, had taken the back seat on the Pesa Mashinani campaign.
President Kenyatta, Deputy President William Ruto and some MPs have pointed out that an increased money to counties could be done through an Act of Parliament.
But, Mr Ruto on Thursday said: “We have one million signatures and we shall soon be forwarding them to the electoral commission for analysis.”
The collection of signatures was launched a month ago and is still on, the governor said.
He urged Kenyans to support their quest for an increase in funds allocated to counties.
Once the electoral commission confirms that the signatures tally with names in the voter’s register, it will forward a referendum Bill drafted by the Council of Governors to county assemblies for debate.
“If half of the 47 counties pass the Bill, then, the same will be forwarded to the Senate for a similar debate and vote before it is passed over to the National Assembly,” he said.
If both the Senate and the National Assembly adopt the Bill, it will be forwarded to the President for assent without necessarily subjecting it to a referendum, according to Mr Ruto.
The Bomet Governor and his counterparts Peter Munya (Meru), Wycliffe Oparanya (Kakamega), Paul Chepkwony (Kericho), Jack Ranguma (Kisumu), David Nkedienye (Kajiado) and James Ongwae (Kisii), among others, have been leading Pesa Mashinani campaigns across the country.
Cord chiefs Raila Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka, Moses Wetang’ula and other Opposition leaders are also campaigning for a referendum to change the Constitution, through their Okoa Kenya drive.
