Governors snub meeting with senators

Governors Friday boycotted a consultative forum with senators in Mombasa to protest against a new law that they say puts the legislators in control of devolution funds.

None of the 47 governors attended the three-day meeting at Serena Beach Resort that was meant to break the tension between the two groups of leaders mandated by the Constitution to protect the interests of counties.

The senators defended themselves against accusations of seeking to usurp governors’ executive powers.

On Wednesday, President Uhuru Kenyatta signed a law giving senators power to chair County Development Boards, whose effect, the governors say will dilute their constitutional powers. They have vowed to challenge it in court.

The County Governments Amendment Act, which was originated by the Senate, will become effective next month.

In Mombasa, although their flights and rooms had been reserved, the governors withdrew their participation after the President signed into law the contentious Bill.

The law was initiated by Nandi Senator Stephen Sang and will see MPs and Women Representatives also sit on the development boards.

Friday, 29 senators who travelled to Mombasa for the meeting expressed surprise that the governors were opposed to the law.

'THROWING TANTRUMS'

“I want Kenyans to know that when the Legal Affairs Committee that drafted the Bill invited the Council of Governor’s represented by Mr (Isaac) Ruto and their lawyers, they agreed that it was legal, constitutional and appropriate.

‘‘ Their only contention was the chairmanship of the board,’’ said Meru Senator Kiraitu Murungi, one of the three legislators who read their three-page statement.

Wajir Senator Abdirahman Hassan accused the governors of “throwing tantrums’’ by refusing to attend the meeting that was meant to “enhance collaboration and development on a range of issues so that we can realise the benefits of devolution.

“All we want through this law is to help plan development at the county level as part of our oversight role. We are saying that we want to know how this money will be used and governors appear to be running away from it. They want to use the funds at will and evade accountability,’’ Mr Hassan said.

Senate Majority Leader Kithure Kindiki accused the governors of “inappropriate’’ behaviour by pulling out of the meeting at the last minute yet they were the ones who had called for it to thrash out the thorny issues that had arisen between the two groups.

“They wanted to see us so we can discuss how, through our legislative work, we can support structures of devolution and how to make it work based on our experiences of one year,’’ Prof Kindiki said.

The senators, who were accompanied by their Speaker, Mr Ekwee Ethuro, and Deputy Speaker Kembi Gitura, said the Senate, in its oversight role, was the “appropriate body’’ to chair the development boards that would, among other things, ensure that there is no duplication of projects.

The board, they added, would not take away powers vested in the governor.

“Left uncoordinated and poorly planned for, they can fall prey to misuse and duplication of initiatives leading to inefficiency and at worst, waste,’’ they said in the statement read by Prof Anyang Nyong’o (Kisumu), Mr Amos Wako (Busia) and Mr Murungi.

The governors were “reminded’’ that as chief executives in the counties, they must work with all interest groups and institutions since they do not have the monopoly on planning and policy making.