Now Gachagua backs push for referendum

Nyeri Governor Nderitu Gachagua Wednesday broke ranks with governors from the central region by supporting calls for a referendum.

The governor, who was elected on a GNU ticket, said he supports a vote to push for more resources to be allocated to counties.

The party is part of the ruling Jubilee Coalition.

Mr Gachagua said even when the governors held meetings with the President and agreed on certain things, the same was frustrated by the National Assembly.

“We are supporting a referendum for 45 per cent of resources to be devolved to counties. We want to come to the people. It has to be determined by the people of Kenya,”said Mr Gachagua.

The governor also took issue with the proposal to set up County Development Boards chaired by Senators saying the move was unconstitutional and an act of mischief.

He said Section 54 of the Constitution spells out how development in counties should be coordinated and that governors are tasked with implementing development projects.

“County Development Boards are unconstitutional. The move is mischievous. We have already passed our budgets and there is no provision for them. This is an offence to devolution,” said the governor.

WORKERS NOT PAID

Mr Gachagua added that there were 23 other pieces of legislation before Senate which were unconstitutional.

He said the governors had decided to use all means to make sure the pieces of legislation do not see the light of day.

He said the county had already put in place an Integrated County Development Plan for the next five years and wondered whether the Senator is going to change it.

The Nyeri governor said they had not yet paid their staff because a bill on allocation of funds to the counties was still pending before the Senate.