Okoa Kenya Bill launched amid calls for better security, reforms

Cord leader Raila Odinga has highlighted devolution, election reforms and security as the key areas that must be addressed through a constitutional amendment if the country is to be rescued from its current “downward spiral.”

Mr Odinga said Thursday that giving more resources to the counties and giving some of the security mandate to local leaders are the first steps towards better governance and a safer Kenya.

“Devolution will only work if the national government gives more resources to those mandated to represent and lead people at the grassroots level. There is still a tug of war between the central government and the counties and this needs to end,” he said.

He was speaking at Bomas of Kenya in Nairobi as he launched a change the constitution Bill popularly referred to as Okoa Kenya.

Mr Odinga, a former prime minister, said more responsibility for the security of Kenyans should be given to local leaders because recent terrorist and bandit attacks have revealed that the national government was incapable of providing security from Nairobi.

“We must ensure that the security system is also devolved to some extent. Governors should chair the County Security Councils. Recent attacks such as in Mpeketoni and Baragoi confirm that the security system does not work,” he said.

Cord co-principal Kalonzo Musyoka spoke against negative ethnicity and called on Kenyans to unite in support of the Bill and the referendum that may come in its wake.

“Just look at the statistics and you will realise there is rampant tribalism in our public service. Negative ethnicity is also another sickness.

NEEDS SALVATION

“It is time we accepted that this country needs salvation,” Mr Musyoka said.

He also told governors that getting more money from the central government means that they will also have to be more accountable regarding how the money was spent.

Senate Minority Leader Moses Wetang’ula said more funds need to be devolved in order to discourage the national government from using funds as an incentive to influence county politics.

Narc Kenya party leader Martha Karua attended the launch ceremony and rallied Kenyans to fight for electoral reforms.
“Unless we reform the electoral system, there shall be no need to go to elections, it’s totally important that we have far reaching reforms before the next general elections,” she said.

She added that land issues have continued to be marred with controversy despite the appointing of a commission to resolve issues.

“Today, we set out to traverse the length and breadth of our country to tell Kenyans why it is absolutely necessary not to allow Jubilee to hold the 85 per cent resources at the capital and continue practising the politics of benevolence with the people of Kenya,” he said.

One of the amendments proposed in the Bill is that the minimum allocation of funds to counties be increased to 45 per cent from the current minimum of 15 per cent.

The bill also proposes that no more than 15 per cent of public service appointments be from one ethnic community. This, the proposed law argues, will ensure effective ethnic representation in government institutions.