Uhuru opposes Raila push to review devolution structure

President Uhuru Kenyatta has opposed ongoing push to change the Constitution to create a three-tier government structure.

The president's comments come barely a month after the Orange Democratic Movement leader, Raila Odinga, proposed a review of the devolution structure.

Mr Odinga proposed the changes when he attended the 5th Annual Devolution Conference in Kakamega where he asked Kenyans to support the building bridges programme that he initiated with the president after they shook hands on March 9, ending months of political antagonism.

Now, President Kenyatta has said he has no time to run around the country asking people to support changing the Constitution.

“It won’t solve the problems we have. But engaging with the private sector on manufacturing like we are doing (I) will,” President Kenyatta said on Friday.

President Kenyatta was speaking at State House, Nairobi, during a follow-up meeting to last week’s 8th Presidential Round Table Forum that brought together stakeholders from government and the Kenya Private Sector Alliance.

Several other leaders, including Mr Odinga's opposition allies Musalia Mudavadi and Kalonzo Musyoka, have supported calls to amend the Constitution to strengthen devolution and make it more people-centred.

But other powerful leaders, among them the Deputy President William Ruto and the Council of Governors Chairman Josphat Nanok, have also rejected Mr Odinga's call to review the devolution structure.

The leaders said the push was meant to create more posts in the Executive and would only benefit a few individuals.

Mr Nanok said the Constitution should be given another 20 years before attempting to make any changes.