Governors snub Mungatana’s party

Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) Chairman Danson Mungatana (right) with Governor Issa Timamy (left) during the official opening of three classes of Arid zone Scool in Mokowe Lamu County which were sponsored by KPA in this photo taken on 21st February 2014. Coast governors snubbed the home-coming party of Kenya Ports Authority chairman Danson Mungatana and were subsequently attacked by MPs over the control of devolved funds. PHOTO/KEVIN ODIT

What you need to know:

  • The 10 MPs vowed that they would not allow governors to control the Constituency Development Fund. They also accused the governors of being drunk with power. They were speaking at Arap Moi Primary School in Ngao.
  • Lunga Lunga’s Khatib Mwashetani said MPs did not want to police the governors since they are “very busy,” but it had become necessary to do so.

Coast governors snubbed the home-coming party of Kenya Ports Authority chairman Danson Mungatana and were subsequently attacked by MPs over the control of devolved funds.

The 10 MPs vowed that they would not allow governors to control the Constituency Development Fund. They also accused the governors of being drunk with power. They were speaking at Arap Moi Primary School in Ngao.

Though the party’s organisers said all governors were invited, none of them showed up or sent representatives.

Lunga Lunga’s Khatib Mwashetani said MPs did not want to police the governors since they are “very busy,” but it had become necessary to do so.

“Governors must be policed because they will misuse funds. This does not mean MPs are killing devolution. Only governors and county reps can kill devolution, not MPs and senators,” he said.

Kinango’s Gonzi Rai said the country had yearned for devolution for many decades and warned governors not to destroy it.“Let them not touch CDF which is only 2.5 per cent of devolved funds and yet it has developed the country.”

Mr Rai said governors had been allocated 15 per cent and should work out ways of utilising those funds well “instead of scrambling for the CDF’s 2.5 per cent.

Garsen MP Ibrahim Sane told governors off, saying they had failed to spend Sh82 billion which he claimed lay in banks.

“Governors should spend this money before they think of fighting for CDF, Uwezo Fund and Equalisation Fund,” said Mr Sane.

Kilifi North’s Gideon Mung’aro, who is also the Coast Parliamentary Group (CPG) chairman, warned governors that Parliament would continue to play the oversight role and had the right to summon them.

“No governor can refuse to appear before a Parliamentary or Senate committee when summoned. Only the President and his Deputy can do that,” said Mr Mung’aro.