Uhuru addresses biting concerns as counties receive applaud

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Friday cited pending bills and corruption as some of the challenges preventing Kenyans from enjoying benefits of devolution.

He termed pending bills as a wrong against traders who he said were incurring losses.

“There are still unpaid bills in accounts offices although the respective goods and services were delivered some over a year ago. We must all commit to clearing these bills because by not honouring our obligations we not only compromise the performance of the economy but also harm the people who borrow money to provide the service,” the President said.

He spoke at State House, Nairobi, where he hosted the 8th National and County Governments Coordination Summit during which progress of the Big Four agenda was discussed.

The President, who was joined by Deputy President William Ruto and Cabinet secretaries, chaired the summit where disaster preparedness was also discussed.

CRISIS PREPAREDNESS

Mr Kenyatta expressed satisfaction with the ongoing roll-out of the growth programmes and thanked county governments for their partnership.

The agenda centres on food security, universal healthcare, affordable housing, and manufacturing.

The two levels of government collaborate in the implementation of the agenda through the Framework for the Implementation of the Big Four Plan between the National and County Governments.

On disaster preparedness, the Head of State lauded counties for their leading role in response to floods, land and mudslides that affected the country late last year.

He pointed out that the Disaster Risk Management and Digital Platform for Relief Assistance framework being developed will help streamline disaster response in the country.

"There is no doubt that these initiatives will not only in future minimise suffering of our people during floods and other disasters, but also provide resource-savings for other social programmes and projects," he said.

GENDER EQUALITY

He said that Kenya has made tremendous progress since the inception of the devolved system of government which coincided with the first term of the Jubilee administration.

Mr Kenyatta said that despite the progress made, there are challenges that have to be dealt with in order for devolution to work at its optimum.

The summit also discussed several reports by the Intergovernmental Relations Technical Committee and the Intergovernmental Budget and Economic Council.

Also discussed was a report by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission on management of the ballooning public wage bill.

The summit, which was set up as a consultation platform for the national and county governments, meets annually.

WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

Meanwhile, First Lady Margaret Kenyatta has said that gender equality will not be achieved if the race to empower girls stalls.

She is the Patron of the Kenya Girl Guides Association (KGGA). “Empowering girls with skills, knowledge and confidence is the biggest predictor for securing their future. It will determine how they compete in the world as leaders, taking up positions that were previously reserved only for boys,” she said.

“As parents, we know the biggest impact on a child’s success comes from ensuring that they have space to thrive through equal access to opportunities. This is what the core of the World Thinking Day theme is all about — equity,” she added.

The First Lady spoke on Friday at Loreto Convent Msongari in Nairobi, where she presided over celebrations to mark this year’s World Thinking Day.

EMBRACE DIVERSITY

The annual celebrations bring together girl guides and girl scouts from around the world to discuss issues affecting the movement.

She urged them to embrace solidarity and friendship so as to influence positive change in their communities in line with this year’s theme of diversity, equity and inclusion.

“Diversity urges us to explore our differences, to accept and learn from one another. This is one of the virtues that the movement has come to be associated with. And I applaud you all for holding firmly on to this. It is evident that this movement has created change makers and transformed the lives of its members,” she said.

PARTNERSHIP

Other speakers included Prof Margaret Kobia, the Public Service and Gender Cabinet secretary, and KGGA Chief Commissioner Faith Nguru thanked the First Lady for her dedication and support to the girl guides movement.

“You have remained a model of excellence for our girls and women in the country,” Prof Nguru said.

Prof Kobia said her ministry’s continued partnership with the girl guides association had enabled girls to develop confidence, resilience and commitment, which are critical to the social and economic transformation of the country.