Governors welcome Kiunjuri nomination for Devolution CS

Governors have welcomed the nomination of Mwangi Kiunjuri as Devolution and Planning Cabinet Secretary.

Although CSs are apolitical, he will likely be seen as one of the President’s political point men and strategists inside Cabinet.

Mr Kiunjuri, a three-time Member of Parliament and a native of Laikipia, will be the second holder of the influential ministry that provides a key link between national government and county governments.

President Uhuru Kenyatta is expected to release a new executive order assigning the ministry its duties after some of its functions were transferred to the newly created Public Service, Gender and Youth Affairs Ministry.

According to the executive order number six that Mr Kenyatta issued in May 2013, some of the tasks Mr Kiunjuri will be charged with implementing include preparing the intergovernmental summit that is held at least twice a year.

POLITICAL ACUMEN

Kirinyaga Governor Joseph Ndathi said Mr Kiunjuri brings in political acumen that is vital in running the Devolution and Planning ministry.

Mr Ndathi said one of the first duties Mr Kiunjiuri will have to do will be to get rid of “consultants who add no value” and bring in lawyers who are experts on devolution matters.

He said too many laws that have been passed by the National Assembly run afoul of the devolution spirit.

The governor said: “He must understand he is not governor’s bosses and we are not his boss. He must know to compliment and keep good relations between the two sets of governments”.

TRANSITION AUTHORITY

He said the intergovernmental relations committee should be entrenched in law to take over the Transition Authority, which will cease to be in March, 2016, to prevent the existence of a vacuum and source of conflict between national and county governments.

Mr Ndathi said: “Roads must now be devolved, people are crying to governors on bad roads yet we do not have control. The roads construction should be gazetted as a county government function,. The hue and cry is overwhelming and this will be a hot potato towards elections”. 

Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya called for further restructuring of the ministry.

“He should be dealing with Devolution issues only. As a politician, however he we hope he will create a good rapport with governors and should not think he is their prefect,” Mr Oparanya said.

Senate Deputy Minority Leader Abdirahman Hassan said Mr Kiunjuri needed to engage more with Parliament.

“He needs to engage more with the Senate who are the custodians and promoters of devolution,” he said. “His being a politician is a plus because he understands the needs of the electorate. A politician will be more effective than an individual with technical expertise alone.”

COUNTY FUNDS

Nominated Senator Martha Wangari said Mr Kiunjuri’s first priority should be to ensure that money for counties is released on time.

She said that Mr Kiunjuri should ensure functions that are not yet transferred like management of forests and roads are transferred with commensurate funding.

She said as a politician, Mr Kiunjuri would meet expectations of both the Senate and governors.

“The ministry should have been handed to a woman but as politician Kiunjuri is still better placed. He knows the pressure of electorate and he will manage governors’ expectations better,” she said.

Council of Governors vice chair Salim Mvurya said governors would support Mr Kiunjuri but he needed to move with speed and implement decisions made at the National County Coordinating Summit.

“In addition he will need to be objective and ensure devolved functions are not implemented through the National Youth Service or any other mechanism and that those resources held by the ministry for such activities are released to counties,” he said.