Governors renew push for funds

PHOTO | STEPHEN MUDIARI Centre for Multi-party Democracy chairman Omingo Magara (right) addresses the Press in Nairobi on August 21, 2013. Mr Magara said a referendum would be too expensive for Kenyans. With him is politician Kalembe Ndile, a member of the organisation.

What you need to know:

  • Mr Isaac Rutto, who chairs the Governors’ Council, said while Jubilee senators were free to pull out of the referendum quest, they risked being let down by the government.
  • On Tuesday, Deputy President Ruto struck a deal with 31 Jubilee senators to use internal structures of the coalition and their strength in Parliament to support devolution

Governors on Wednesday warned they would push ahead with the referendum plan.

This, they said, is in the event the Jubilee administration fails to strengthen the role of the Senate and increase budgetary allocations to counties.

Mr Isaac Rutto, who chairs the Governors’ Council, said while Jubilee senators were free to pull out of the referendum quest, they risked being let down by the government.

He said the government had promised countless times to protect devolution from anti-reform forces only to let them down.

“As governors, we have been engaging the Jubilee leadership over devolution and we have been promised many things. However, nothing has been implemented,” he said.

Reacting to a decision by Jubilee senators to drop out of the quest for a referendum after meeting Deputy President William Ruto on Tuesday, the Bomet governor challenged them to ensure the government delivered on its promises.

“We recognise the right of individual senators to change their mind. We also do understand the difficulties that the government is facing regarding devolution. We now want to engage governors to ensure the Jubilee administration effects the amendments for the sake of devolution,” he said by phone.

He warned that should this not happen, governors would take it upon themselves to push for a referendum.

“A referendum does not require to have Jubilee senators on board. It doesn’t stop because Jubilee senators have changed their mind,” he said.

The Bomet governor said the push for a referendum was bi-partisan and accused Jubilee of alleging it had been hijacked by Cord leaders.

On Tuesday, Deputy President Ruto struck a deal with 31 Jubilee senators to use internal structures of the coalition and their strength in Parliament to support devolution.

He warned them that the referendum drive was being used by the opposition to undermine the Jubilee Government.

However, Cord leader Raila Odinga and opposition MPs and senators from his party maintained their agitation for the referendum.

But the Centre for Multi-Party Democracy (CMD) on Wednesday warned that a referendum would be too expensive for Kenyans.

CMD chairman Omingo Magara said Kenyans wanted to elect their president directly.