No retreat, no surrender, says Isaac Ruto

Governors have denied that they have gone slow on the campaign for a referendum to increase resources allocated to counties.

Council of Governors officials on Tuesday said the campaign was still on course.

Chairman Isaac Ruto said they were in the process of drafting a Bill that would seek to increase the allocation to counties to 45 per cent.

“We want to correct reports appearing in a section of the press that the Council of Governors, sitting yesterday (Monday), decided to postpone the referendum or appear to decline in moving on,” Mr Ruto said during a briefing at their headquarters in Westlands, Nairobi.

“Nothing could further be from the truth. In our meeting, we reaffirmed our push to amend the law,” said Mr Ruto.

Mr Ruto said that despite several governors having announced they had abandoned the Pesa Mashinani campaign, that had not affected the push for the vote.

Mr Ruto, who was with the council’s vice-chairman, Mr Salim Mvurya, and Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya, also said the government owed counties more than Sh400 billion.

COUNTY ASSEMBLIES

“After collecting signatures from Kenyans, we will present the draft Bill to the electoral commission which would then take it to county assemblies, to the two Houses and finally to the President for assent,” Mr Ruto said.

He said if the Bill fails to be assented to by the President, governors would call for a national vote so the public can make the final decision.

Mr Oparanya said governors were not demanding extra funds but for Sh104 billion in the current financial year.

“We are looking for money within the current budget that belongs to counties, money that is being withheld by the national government.”

The governors have other seven issues they want addressed a referendum, including enhancing perks and privileges enjoyed by members of the county assemblies.