Why referendum got cold shoulder

What you need to know:

  • Mr Ruto also denied that governors allied to URP had withdrawn their support for the plebiscite after meeting Deputy President William Ruto.
  • The chairman said some leaders were demonizing the referendum and saying the council was working in cahoots with Cord.
  • The State however, maintains that the allocation is already at 40 per cent.

County chief executives from Mount Kenya have decided to get more funds to their regions through a parliamentary amendment, Council of Governors chairman Isaac Ruto said on Thursday.
He said that is why they are not interested in a referendum. He said the council has been supporting the efforts to increase funds to counties from 15 to 40 per cent.
The State however, maintains that the allocation is already at 40 per cent.

“The council had been pushing for the allocations to be raised through such an amendment but the government and National Assembly have not been willing,” Mr Ruto (below) said.
This is why they want a referendum, he added, a day after governors elected on The National Alliance ticket started withdrawing their support.

WITHDRAWN THEIR SUPPORT

Mr Ruto also denied that governors allied to URP had withdrawn their support for the plebiscite after meeting Deputy President William Ruto.

At a news conference in Bomet on Thursday, he said the governors have been fighting for the transfer of functions to the counties and especially roads that were under the Kenya Roads Authority.
“To have these functions transferred does not need the approval of Parliament.”

The chairman said some leaders were demonizing the referendum and saying the council was working in cahoots with Cord. He said there was nothing wrong if Cord has good ideas.

“Cord is not a clandestine party and has no characteristics of Ebola. Jubilee should listen to the concerns of Kenyans.”

“We cannot allow dictatorship in governance of this country as witnessed in the past regimes and I personally will not succumb to any attempts to silence me while fighting for the rights of the people to who we owe allegiance,” he said.