Senators vow to pass disputed county Bill
What you need to know:
- MPs accuse county bosses of misusing public funds, hence the need to check their activities
The war of words between the senators and governors intensified on Monday with the former warning they would pass the controversial County Development Board Bill.
The senators accused the governors of having a hidden agenda after opposing the Bill which has sparked protests and condemnation from the county bosses and ward representatives.
The MPs explained: “In the past six months since governors assumed office, majority of them have got priorities wrong and have nothing new yet they want to control all funds to the counties from the national government and they don’t want the Senate or National Assembly to question how much they spent and for what projects while hiring relatives and clansmen into key position at the county level.”
Nandi Senator Stephen Sang and his Elgeyo-Marakwet counterpart Kipchumba Murkomen told governors opposed to the County Development Board Bill that their days were numbered and those who engaged in corruption and looting of public resources would not be spared because the Senate would pass the Bill with or without the county bosses’ blessings.
Mr Sang, who drafted the Bill, said: “Governors are answerable to the electorate and should stop paying millions of shillings for substandard contracts which are given to close allies without sticking to procurement rules.”
He also told off the chairman of Governors’ Council, Mr Isaac Rutto, and Governor Cleophas Lagat, who denounced him and threatened to mobilise voters to recall him for tabling the Bill.
The two claim the Bill is against devolution and is intended to deny them executive powers.
Mr Sang, Mr Murkomen and nominated Senator Beatrice Elachi told a funds drive at Kipketmen PAG Church in Aldai, Nandi: “The Senate is going to pass the Bill to... have control of the 47 counties and save them from collapse... due to greed and corruption....”
The two senators who are lawyers said Kenyans wanted corruption free society in both national and in county governments accused governors of wanting impunity to go on.
Speaking during funds drive in aid of Kipketmen PAG Church in Aldai constituency in Nandi County the senators said all they wanted was public procurement rule respected and governors to avoid being thrifty.
Said Sang “I boycotted the county prayers meeting Governors Ruto and Dr lagat planned to use the prayer meeting to drum support for national referendum without considering they are in power because of jubilee government but had never held prayers for the President and his Deputy..”
The nominated senate majority whip Mrs. Beatrice Elach warned governors against engaging in corruption and the bill is good for Kenya since would seal loopholes make Counties accountable to electorates.
She questioned why governors don’t want the county development boards to monitor how they spent funds allocated from national government to counties.
