Transition Authority steps up push for term extension
What you need to know:
- Sources at the authority told Nation boardroom efforts had been intensified to lobby the Senate and National Assembly for an extension despite stiff resistance from governors.
- The source said the team, chaired by Mr Kinuthia Wamwangi, is also banking on support from Devolution Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri to help its cause.
- The new move, is however, likely to rekindle debate following a declaration by the authority last week that it would transfer the remaining functions to the counties by March.
- TA said last Tuesday the decision to finalise the transfers was meant to avert a constitutional crisis should the calls to have its term extended fail.
The Transition Authority is lobbying Parliament to extend its term, a week after it announced it would transfer all its functions by March.
Sources at the authority told Nation boardroom efforts had been intensified to lobby the Senate and National Assembly for an extension despite stiff resistance from governors.
The source said the team, chaired by Mr Kinuthia Wamwangi, is also banking on support from Devolution Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri to help its cause.
The new move, is however, likely to rekindle debate following a declaration by the authority last week that it would transfer the remaining functions to the counties by March.
TA said last Tuesday the decision to finalise the transfers was meant to avert a constitutional crisis should the calls to have its term extended fail.
Contacted, Mr Wamwangi, though not confirming the lobbying, said: “We are waiting for the decision of Parliament on our request for an extension alongside that of CS Kiunjuri.”
RESPONSIBILITIES YET TO BE TRANSFERRED
Some of the responsibilities yet to be transferred to the counties include roads, agriculture, betting and casinos, as well as water services.
Others are assets and liabilities, rationalising human resources between the national and county governments as well as establishing county pensions and declaring county governments’ public service.
Opposing the extension bid, governors have described the move as a ploy to delay the full transfer of responsibilities.
The governors have threatened “legal battles” if the extension is granted.
“All functions that rightly fall to the county government must be handed over together with the funds allocated to them,” said Council of Governors chairman Peter Munya.
The authority is lobbying for a three-year extension to allow it to unbundle all functions to the counties.
Mr Kiunjuri has, however, proposed a one-year extension.
The TA’s mandate was to oversee the smooth transfer of responsibilities to the counties in line with the Constitution.
