War of MCAs, governors hurts counties

What you need to know:

  • The Council of Governors chairman, Mr Isaac Ruto, blamed senators for the wrangles in counties, accusing them of sabotaging development projects with the aim of making governors unpopular.
  • Already, President Uhuru Kenyatta has named a team to determine whether the Makueni County Government, where Prof Kivutha Kibwana is governor, should be dissolved due to unending wrangles between MCAs and the governor.
  • Nairobi County, for instance, is still reeling from serious financial constraints after MCAs refused to pass the 2014 Finance Bill due to their differences with Governor Evans Kidero who has been facing impeachment threats.

Projects running into billions of shillings have stalled across the country as governors fight with senators and ward representatives for control of county governments.

In at least 12 counties, governors are facing threats of impeachment from hostile members of the county assemblies.

Among the projects that have stalled or failed to take off due to supremacy wars are hospitals, roads and a university. Revenue collection in some counties has also declined significantly after MCAs refused to pass crucial Bills to enable their county governments to generate more revenue.

Makueni, Nairobi, Narok, Kiambu, Kitui, Siaya, Bomet, Kisumu and Bungoma are among the counties most affected by the wrangles.

Already, President Uhuru Kenyatta has named a team to determine whether the Makueni County Government, where Prof Kivutha Kibwana is governor, should be dissolved due to unending wrangles between MCAs and the governor.

The Council of Governors chairman, Mr Isaac Ruto, blamed senators for the wrangles in counties, accusing them of sabotaging development projects with the aim of making governors unpopular.

“Senators are imagining or would rather they are the bosses of the county governments. When this is not happening, they sabotage sitting governors to ensure they are not re-elected come the next General Election,” the Bomet Governor told the Nation in an interview. “The problem is compounded by the reluctance by the national government to roll out devolution in the manner envisaged in the Constitution.”

Nairobi County, for instance, is still reeling from serious financial constraints after MCAs refused to pass the 2014 Finance Bill due to their differences with Governor Evans Kidero who has been facing impeachment threats.

COLLECT SH300 MILLION

Passing the Bill would have enabled the county government to collect Sh300 million from bars, casinos and eateries, among other revenue sources. As a result, the county relies mainly on disbursements from the National Treasury, much of which is used on recurrent expenditure.

Narok has also been adversely affected by differences between its governor on the one hand and its senator and some MCAs on the other. According to an official of the Narok Central Business Traders Association, Mr David ole Sankok, the county recently lost Sh50 million in one day after thousands of residents blocked the Narok-Bomet road to demonstrate against Governor Samuel Tunai.

The demonstration was called by Senator Stephen ole Ntutu and his allies — MPs Patrick Ntutu (Narok West), Korei Lemein (Narok South), Johanna Ngeno (Emurua Dikirr) and Moitalel ole Kenta (Narok North).

Mr Ntutu has alleged impropriety over the management of the 1,510 square kilometre Maasai Mara Game Reserve, claiming that money from the public resources was being diverted to a private entity. However, Mr Tunai has accused the Ntutu camp of playing cheap politics driven by clan interests.

In Kitui, the county government has closed down over 100 hospitals and health centres built using funds from the Constituency Development Fund (CDF). The county government, which manages health, said the health centres were closed because there was a shortage of doctors and nurses to run them. However, Senator David Musila and the Minority Leader in the National Assembly, Mr Francis Nyenze, have accused Governor Julius Malombe of closing down the health centres to settle scores with elected leaders.

LEADING ONSLAUGHT

The problem is replicated in Siaya, where Sh108 million meant for hiring nurses through the Economic Stimulus Programme  was returned to the national government due to differences between Governor Cornel Rasanga and local MPs.

Gem MP Jakoyo Midiwo, who has been leading the onslaught against Mr Rasanga, also accused him of bias in the award of county contracts. But Mr Rasanga maintained that Mr Midiwo’s constant criticism was aimed at distracting him from delivering on his promises to voters.

In Kisumu, Governor Jack Ranguma is locked in a turf war with his deputy, Ms Ruth Odinga over the slow pace of development and management of county affairs.

The differences have caused a delay in passing the county’s 2014/2015 supplementary budget and Ms Odinga has asked the governor to resign.

In Kiambu County, the proposed county headquarters building in Kiambu town is yet to be completed two years down the road, with Governor William Kabogo accusing the county assembly of allocating insufficient funds for its completion.

The MCAs, on the other hand, said they had allocated the project more than the Sh35 million required to renovate the former Kiambu Municipal Council offices. Mr Kabogo has been under threat of impeachment by the MCAs.

In Bomet, construction of the proposed Moi University constituent college at a cost of Sh500 million has failed to take off owing to differences between Governor Isaac Ruto and the local MPs over its location.

Mr Ruto wants the college to be built in Sigor, while Senator Wilfred Lesan and local MPs, including Dr Joyce Laboso (Sotik), Ronald Tonui (Bomet Central), Sammy Koech (Konoin) and Bernard Bett (Bomet East) want it to be built in Bomet town. The impasse persists.

TANGIBLE PROJECTS

In Bungoma, Governor Kenneth Lusaka has also been at loggerheads with the senator, Mr Moses Wetang’ula, over the use of funds allocated to the county.

Mr Wetang’ula has accused Mr Lusaka’s government of failing to initiate tangible development projects.

“Since the start of devolution, this county has received a total of Sh16 billion. We are asking the Executive, through the governor to ensure that we see tangible projects and not just see in books that we have a lot of money in our bank accounts,” said the senator.

Mr Lusaka has disputed Mr Wetang’ula’s figures.

“The public can see what the county government is doing in the area and I urge the senator to embrace a proper working relationship in order to spur development for our people,” said the governor.

In Machakos, a local MP claimed that differences between Governor Alfred Mutua and Senator Johnson Muthama were behind the decision by a leading private hospital to cancel its plan to open a branch in Machakos town.

Machakos Town MP Victor Munyaka said the hospital would have spent Sh2 billion on the project. But Dr Mutua denied that any of the county government’s projects had stalled.                

LEADERSHIP DISPUTES                      

“Nothing has stalled in Machakos. All my projects are going on,” he said.

Other counties where governors are locked in leadership disputes include Embu, where Mr Martin Wambora has been facing ouster after he was impeached by MCAs. Last week, a court ruled that the ouster was legal but maintained that the status quo should remain until Mr Wambora appeals the decision.

In Nandi, Governor Cleophas Lagat has also been in the spotlight, with his critics organising demonstrations to demand greater accountability and protest at alleged corruption in the county. Local leaders have called for talks between the governor and his critics, saying that demos were likely to spark violence.

Other governors who are facing troubles in their backyards are Uasin Gishu’s Jackson Mandago, who has been questioned by the Senate over payments made by the county government and Trans Nzoia’s Patrick Khaemba, who has warned his critics to wait until 2022, when he will have served two terms, to take over the leadership of the county.

Reported by Peter Leftie, Raphael Wanjala, Anita Chepkoech, George Sayagie, Geoffrey Rono and Eric Wainaina