Leaders differ over push for referendum

Opposition leader Raila Odinga on Saturday said the Jubilee Government should prepare for a tough battle at the proposed Cord referendum as President Uhuru Kenyatta dismissed the push for a plebiscite as a waste of taxpayers’ money and an “unnecessary venture”.

Mr Odinga said the Jubilee Government should avoid sideshows and wait for the public jury to deliver a verdict. “Let’s meet and battle it out at the referendum so that we can have better policies between the national and county governments in running the devolved system,” Mr Odinga said in Kilifi. “In the event there are better policies, employment will not be dominated by a few ethnic groups.”

The former Prime Minister spoke a day after governors unveiled a team that will help to push their PesaMashinani (Money to the Counties) campaign that is separate from the push led by Mr Odinga and his Cord co-principals Kalonzo Musyoka and Moses Wetang’ula.

Though the governors’ approach is noticeably similar to the one adopted by Cord, there are no indications yet about how the two quests will play out and whether the two referendum proponents will marry their agenda and push jointly.

In their statement read out by Nyeri Governor Nderitu Gachagua, the governors said: “This clarion call is predicated on the need to adequately finance devolution for purposes of service delivery while taking into account the interests of all Kenyans. It has no political inclinations.”

But on Saturday, President Kenyatta, while addressing Kenyans in the US, asked politicians agitating for a referendum to switch their focus to helping Kenya use its resources in a more meaningful manner.

The President said implementation of issues such as devolution, which some politicians want amended in the Constitution, started after the Jubilee Government came to power. He said Kenyans voted just over a year ago and made a choice to give the government the mandate to rule. He added that the leaders should, therefore, be given space to implement reforms.

“Just one and a half years after we have started implementing these provisions some people are asking for a referendum. Are we going to have a referendum every one year?” asked the President when he addressed Kenyans in Dallas, Texas.

He said politicians would do Kenya a great favour if they spent their time promoting development and cohesion.

SPEND PRUDENTLY

The President said governors should spend the money allocated to them prudently instead of fronting the argument that more budgetary allocation will solve the country’s development challenges.

“It is not how much money you have but how you utilise it that makes the difference,” he said.

In Samburu, Deputy President William Ruto took the same line and said the national government will progressively increase funding to counties based on prudent management and accountability in the use of resources allocated.

He stated that elected leaders entrusted with public resources must be ready to account for the use and management of the funds under.

“This year we have enhanced resource allocation to counties by Sh40 billion and we will continue to do so as counties appropriate and use the funds efficiently,” he said.

Speaking at Sirati Oirobi grounds in Samburu County where he laid a foundation stone for the construction of Samburu West Technical Institute, the Deputy President said the national government and county governments must be ready to answer accountability questions raised by oversight institutions.

He said there will be no compromise at all levels of government when it comes to proper use of public funds.

“All of us whether in national or county government must be prepared to be accountable. If the Controller of Budget or Parliament asks questions on how public funds are utilised, the Executive must be prepared to respond for the purpose of accountability,” he said.

Mr Ruto dismissed those saying that devolution was under attack when held to account as dishonest adding that there will be no shortcut to proper use of public funds.

“The debate on who has money and who holds which position does not add value to where we want to go,” he said. In Kilifi, Mr Odinga told coastal Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) politicians to refrain from divided loyalty and support their party.

He was visiting the area after his party recently sacked Kilifi North MP Gideon Mung’aro as Minority Chief Whip in the National Assembly and replaced him with Wundanyi MP Thomas Mwadhegu. The move sparked a round of protests from some area MPs.

SET RECORD STRAIGHT

On Saturday, Mr Odinga sought to set the record straight about those in his party who were blowing hot and cold.

“You cannot put on an Argentina jersey and pretend to score for the German team,” Mr Odinga said, drawing an analogy to the recently concluded World Cup in Brazil.

Mr Odinga was accompanied by Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi, Senator Steward Madzayo and several local leaders from the Coast to the burial of Mzee Moses Abraham alias Pekeshe Ndeje alias Simba Wanje, who was an influential Kaya elder.

Among those he associated with and promoted in Kilifi and the Coast were founding President Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, his Vice President and later Opposition doyen Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, former presidents Moi and Kibaki, and Mr Odinga.

Mr Odinga praised Pekeshe for his bravery and leading coastal cultural leaders over injustices that faced the people.

“My coming to his burial is not driven by politics. I came to join fellow Kenyans to send off a great son of Kenya,” he said.

Mr Madzayo urged Coast politicians to refrain from sideshows and unite for the sake of development.

“We are here today to bury our son and this should be a start for us to forge unity for the prosperity of our people,” he said.

At one point, Mr  Kingi had to stand up and caution some speakers who were going against the family wish not to politic at the funeral.

“We know that politicians used him to ascend to their positions but in return it was unfulfilled promises. But in death, let it be the start of a better life for the family,” he said.

Mr Kingi who donated Sh400,000 to the family, said it was time that political leaders in Kilifi recognised Mzee Pekeshe’s contribution to society and supported his family in return.

Kilifi North MP Gedion Mungaro steered clear of politics saying his move was driven by the late Mzee Pekeshe‘s wishes.

Other politicians in attendance were Kaloleni MP Gunga Mwinga, Malindi MP Dan Kazungu, Ganze MP Peter Shehe, Msambweni MP Suleiman Dori and Kisauni MP Rashid Bedzimba, Mombasa Women representative Mishi Mboko, Joyce Lay and Kwale women represetantative Zainab Chidzuga.