Is devolution a success and what of hunger in parts of the country?

In this interactive series, we invite our readers to send in questions to select public figures. Answers will be published in the next print and online editions. This week, Devolution Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri responds to your questions

Do you think devolution was a mess to Kenyans or the custodians are a stumbling block to its full realisation?
Oluchina Antony, Eldoret

It is important to remember that devolution came as a result of years of demand by Kenyans who wanted equitable sharing of resources, government services brought closer to them and power devolved.

The system that responded to these demands is what we now call the devolved system of government.

It is evident that since its commencement four years ago, resources are now closer to the people, decisions are made at the grassroots level and public participation is a requirement at every level of engagement.

Happily devolution has become a game changer. For instance, Mandera County conducted its first-ever caesarean section birth just a few months ago.

Residents of Wajir County are now enjoying tarmacked roads for the very first time. This would not have been possible without devolution. Does this look like a mess? I submit not. In its commitment to make devolution work, the Jubilee government has gone beyond the constitutional threshold of not less than 15 per cent to over 30 per cent of shareable revenue.

This has seen Sh1 trillion going to counties in the last four years. This has ensured all 47 county governments are working, all county assemblies are in place and all functions stipulated in the constitution have been devolved.

What have been the major effects of devolution on politics and what challenge does it pose for the nation?
Oluchina Antony, Eldoret

Devolution is about bringing government closer to the people thus the major effect has been decentralisation of power.

As a new system, it has had a few challenges from which we are drawing lessons and taking action, one of which has been high staffing levels.

Some counties, for example, are still grappling with bloated staff. It is important to note that counties had to inherit staff of former local authorities, acquired others from the national government and have been employing their own.

The second challenge has been mismanagement of resources since holding county governments accountable is still a major challenge, as has been pointed out by the Auditor-General.

These challenges are not without solutions. If we work together, we can overcome them and move towards the dream of devolution envisioned by the Kenyan people.

Political contestation and positioning as we all seek to adapt to this new dispensation cannot and should not be construed as fighting between the national government and the county governments. That’s how democracies grow.

Why did you want to leave the position of Cabinet Secretary to vie for Laikipia gubernatorial seat? Did those who put pressure on you to do so not realise that the CS position is quite powerful?
Githuku Mungai

The people of Laikipia understand that the position of a CS is more powerful. Their calls for me to vie for governor show their unwavering confidence in me and I thank them for that.

However, national interests are bigger and, in this case, winning the General Election is the higher call than being elected Governor of Laikipia and, therefore, looking at the bigger picture, I relinquished that ambition.

That said, it is important to note that it is more secure being elected governor than being appointed to cabinet. For example, a few months ago, someone claimed to have bribed me with Sh20 million and even had the guts to bring in a goon with a fake Kenyan ID to testify against me. Were it not that the fake ID was discovered in time, calls for me to step aside would have been immediate.

Nevertheless, I am a true believer of destiny and there is no risk in remaining in cabinet.

Sir, are you in a position to reassure Kenyans, especially in areas that have experienced a very dry spell, that famine has been taken care of, and no Kenyan is now suffering from hunger?
David M. Kigo, Nairobi

First, let me explain that ‘hunger’ is not the same as ‘famine’. The UN defines a famine in very precise terms, and this does not apply to the situation in Kenya.

However, hunger has sadly been widespread in recent months, which is a source of great concern to us all.

The assessment of the short rains season, carried out in January 2017, identified 2.7 million Kenyans in arid and semi-arid lands as needing immediate relief assistance.

All of these are being reached in some way, either by the government or by its partners (UN agencies and NGOs).

Some are receiving food, while others are receiving cash transfer so that they can purchase food from the market.

Kenya has been rated by the UN resident coordinator as the best in response within the sub-Saharan region.

This was in our preparedness as there was a cabinet memo, response was started early, planned to upscale our efforts as drought was worsening.

The resources from government were availed in good time. They also hailed our coordination by bringing all the stakeholders – county governments, all relevant UN agencies, development partners, national government and NGOs in a meeting chaired by myself where I then appointed the Principal Secretary Richard Lesiyampe as the chair.

The State House Chief of Staff also chairs, on a weekly basis, a meeting of all government agencies and partners.

However, the overall coordination is directed by the President who chairs a meeting of all the ministries concerned every fortnight.

The government went further to declare the drought a national disaster on February 10, 2017 which was early enough to bring all the stakeholders on board to avoid reaching crisis levels.

The government continues to monitor the situation very closely. We have plans in place to continue responding until July 2017, and will of course review and extend these should the long rains season be poor.

Where did you get your wit from especially when conversing in the Gikuyu language? I have watched and listened to you on vernacular stations and I am wowed by your mastery of Gikuyu.
Wainaina Kamindo, Maragua, Murang’a

The Gikuyu language is my mother-tongue and our heritage. I am very proud of it. It is an interesting and rich language and is very educative if properly used.

I take a lot of interest in Gikuyu especially when discussing with others and I learn more in the process. I have also realised that speaking deep Gikuyu challenges listeners to think deeper about the message.

The livestock off-take programme in drought-stricken parts of the country is laudable. How has your ministry insulated this programme from abuse by the corrupt elites in the community? How do you ensure that the money paid to pastoralists during this period goes to restocking during the on-set of the rains in order to guarantee economic sustainability within the affected communities?
Komen Moris, Eldoret

Thank you for your interest in this programme. The livestock off-take programme is planned and implemented in a systematic and accountable way, which I will briefly describe: Members of the County Steering Group (CSG) use assessment information to identify the geographical areas most at risk of livestock deaths.

They then identify the specific households and calculate the numbers of people and livestock affected.

The CSG officers meet with community-based committees and with the affected households to agree on a fair price for the livestock being bought.

After registration, the households surrender their animals which are then taken for slaughter, a stage which also involves the veterinary officers.

The National Disaster Management Authority’s accountant in each county then visits each registered household in person and pays the agreed amount in cash, according to a written format which specifies the recipient’s name, ID, number and species of animals, and price.

The recipient signs that they have received the cash. The purpose of the off-take programme is to support pastoralists’ purchasing power during the drought.

Most will use the cash to buy food as well as other necessities they would otherwise not be in a position to buy. They are not required to use the money they receive to restock once the drought is over.

Of course, some may do so, but others may choose to use any remaining money for other activities that strengthen their economic position.

Could the Cabinet Secretary explain to Kenyans why he is involving himself in Jubilee Party campaigns? Aren’t you breaking the law by being actively involved in partisan politics?
Mark A Abuga, Nairobi

One cannot light a lamp and cover it. We, as Cabinet Secretaries, are the light of the Jubilee government. Kenyans should remember that we have a constitutional duty to perform – we are involved in all levels of decision making, that is why we have a cabinet.

We are in charge of both implementing and disseminating information to the people. How would anyone question us doing this? In the process of disseminating information, it is our duty to correct any wrong, misleading or misinterpreted information from sources in and out of the country.

For example, if the opposition misleads Kenyans, it is our role to correct and even mention names so that people understand. Our people say that if an arrow is shot at night your defence, arrow, should be shot back through the same entry point – “mugwi wa utuku uchokagirio haria wokira”.

Section 23 of the Leadership and Integrity Act prohibits all appointed officers, except a Cabinet Secretary or a member of a County Executive Committee, in the performance of their duties, act as an agent for or further the interests of a political party or candidate in an election; or manifest support for or opposition to any political party or candidate in an election.

What is the Devolution Ministry doing to resolve county border disputes, for instance, Keroka town that is shared between Kisii and Nyamira counties?
Paul Gesimba, Nairobi

In an example of best practice in dispute resolution, in 2014 Nyamira and Kisii county leaders resolved a protracted dispute over the management and administration of Keroka town.

The leaders agreed to form a joint committee to manage the town, which is on the boundary of the two counties. Moving forward, as a ministry we are championing the creation of a more robust and effective alternative dispute framework that is anchored in law.

Why has the government left some projects initiated by the former Local Authorities, for instance the Karatina and Westlands markets upgrading and the Pumwani Maternity Paediatric wing extensions, to stall? Are there plans to revive and complete the projects lest they become white elephants?
Paul Gesimba, Nairobi

The fourth schedule of the Constitution highlights the division of functions between the national and county governments.

As per the fourth schedule, the stated functions of the national government are 34 in total while those of the county government are 14 in total.

Among those county markets and county health services have been assigned to the county governments who have overall responsibility over their management.

Having noted this, the national government has stepped in and is helping in some of these projects. In cooperation with the county governments, we are ready and willing to work on such projects as we have responsibility to serve all Kenyans.

Do you think devolution has been a success to the country?
Benedict Munyao, Machakos
Yes, because the government embraced devolution, midwifed the process and achieved what many democracies across the world struggle to do for many years.

This is evidenced and can be corroborated by many international bodies that have acknowledged the success of Kenya’s big bang approach to devolution.

It has been an outstanding devolution of power. Take it or leave it, you can challenge this government on other issues but not on devolution. It is a success story!
Many years from now, historians will marvel at the speed with which we rolled out devolution.

I think it is remarkable that we have covered so much ground in just four years. The economic gains of devolution have been tangible.

Consider recent developments in areas such as roads and healthcare, tarmacking of roads, additional access to basic facilities in health care and water across formerly marginalised parts of this country.

Indeed, service delivery to Kenyans across the board has dramatically improved. Kenyans also seem to agree that devolution has been a success.

An opinion poll released this year showed that 78 per cent of Kenyans supported devolution, a growth of nearly 10 per cent from last year meaning that more Kenyans are appreciating the process of implementation of devolution. In another few years, without any fear of contradiction, I can say that this country will experience unprecedented positive development.