Counties make great strides in changing lives
Coast governors when they signed a partnership agreement during an event to launch the Jumuiya Ya Kaunti za Pwani Initiative at the Fort Jesus Grounds in Mombasa on June 13, 2015. PHOTO | KEVIN ODIT | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- They lauded devolution for delivering what they had not seen in 50 years, but they think a lot more would have been achieved had governors reduced wastage.
- In Tana River where it has been a nightmare for more than 50 years for residents to travel to Hola town, their county’s headquarters, the gravelling, to all-weather 900km of roads, has brought great relief.
- In Kilifi, farm input subsidy by Governor Amason Kingi’s administration, has been praised for boosting production. Farmers get seeds and fertilisers and tractors were bought to till land at subsidised costs.
Coast region residents polled by the Saturday Nation on devolution gave the system a qualified vote of confidence.
The poll asked them what they think of devolution three years after it was introduced.
They lauded devolution for delivering what they had not seen in 50 years, but they think a lot more would have been achieved had governors reduced wastage.
Still, amidst criticisms of corruption, nepotism and misplaced priorities, the county governments have delivered what some residents described as life-changing results.
In Tana River where it has been a nightmare for more than 50 years for residents to travel to Hola town, their county’s headquarters, the gravelling, to all-weather 900km of roads, has brought great relief.
Hola is 146km from Bura and 101 km to Garsen town but a back and forth journey to the town takes a whole day.
The construction of the first ever tarmac road in Hola town at a cost of Sh440 million is the key agenda of Governor Hussein Dado’s administration.
“Since independence, Hola town has never had a single kilometre of tarmac road but with devolution, we have gone into history books with 15km of tarmac roads,” said Mr Dado in a recent interview.
Other developments include the ongoing construction of Garsen retail market, the construction of 75 nursery school classes and employment of 301 teachers. Some 10 ambulances have also been bought.
However, the benefits have also come at a cost.
Accusations of misuse of money, including contributions to frequent harambees using funds from county coffers, have been levelled against county leadership. A number of officials, including county executive members, have been summoned by the anti-corruption agency.
Farmers complain they did not get seeds for planting last season leading to poor harvest.
The failure by the county government to buy 60,000 bags of maize from farmers in Bura Irrigation Scheme saw them sell at throwaway prices.
In Kilifi, farm input subsidy by Governor Amason Kingi’s administration, has been praised for boosting production. Farmers get seeds and fertilisers and tractors were bought to till land at subsidised costs.
“Kilifi County has 35 wards and our plan is to ensure each ward has a tractor,” the county’s agriculture executive Baha Nguma said. The county now has 28 tractors.
Last week, Governor Kingi commissioned the 7.5km Ganze-Mbonga water project being undertaken by the county at a cost of Sh34 million.
For Mombasa, health is perhaps the biggest benefit for residents in the three years of devolution.
Last July, the county had the first open heart surgery at Coast General Hospital.
It was the second public hospital outside Kenyatta National Hospital to do so.
Governor Hassan Joho described the surgery on five patients as a “milestone and a fruit of devolved healthcare.” Medical equipment among them digital x-ray, mammogram, ultra sound, OPD for dental imaging, CT scan, MRI machines among others were also installed this year. More than 800 students have taken courses such as driving, embroidery and tailoring at the refurbished polytechnics.
But despite the achievements residents have complained of poor drainage especially when it rains and exorbitant rates by the county government on traders and investors.
In Kwale, the school fees bursary which has enabled more than 1,000 bright, but needy students accessing secondary school education, has been praised by residents as visionary.
Governor Salim Mvurya says the county made education a priority to reduce poverty in the region, which stood at 71 per cent three years ago.
Each of the 20 wards in the county had Sh5 million to support needy students.
The county later increased the fund to Sh280 million after the number of beneficiaries increased to 705 after the 2014 national exams.
The education officer, Ms Mishi Kaole, singles out establishment of 164 modern nursery schools in addition to the Sh400 million bursary fund.
Ms Kaole said that the department also has money for village polytechnics and is constructing new ones and upgrading old ones.
Reported by Farouk Mwabege, Kazungu Samwel and Rebecca Okwany
