By Ekakoro Emm
NO, THE 2010 CONSTITUTION IS NOT OUR PROBLEM. WE ARE
Are we over-represented? Most likely. I am however not going to go into the comparisons between Kenya and the US or Europe, for the simple reason that 1) I do not have the facts and 2) others have already done that effectively enough.
Is this over-representation responsible for our current unsustainable debt? Or put another way, if we collapsed the counties to less than twenty, would we save a significant amount of revenue? I’d have to give a conditional ‘yes’ or ‘maybe,’ but the correct answer may as well be, ‘hardly.’
Why do I sound sceptical? I shall proceed to answer this in a roundabout manner by way of example.
Let’s look at what some counties have achieved – and not achieved – and make deductions from those examples….
Makueni has universal health care and industries, Lodwar has changed from a rural township a decade ago to a thriving urban centre, others have built modern stadia from scratch and other infrastructure development (e.g. Kakamega), all courtesy of allocations from the central government. If the momentum is sustained for another decade, these are sleeping giants. Of course a few other counties are doing fairly well too.
On the flip side, my county of Busia doesn’t even have one kilometre of modern road to boast about. Yet it benefits equally from all allocations like other counties. And there are many others like Busia. Now we hear that Obado and his family and close associates have been swimming in billions siphoned from the county. There’s no prize for guessing whether Migori is on the least of counties who have shown positive changes resulting from devolution, or not. I’m surprised that the EACC have only fingered the Busia governor for a few millions. I’d guess if they dug deep enough, they’d uncover billions lost.
What do my examples above show? That while the new constitution may have created several levels of governance that are a drain on our meagre revenue, a few counties have demonstrated that we can overcome this negative aspect and make real progress out of it.
And what do we conclude? That while it is worthwhile exploring the possibility of reducing the number of representation units, there’s more to be gained by prudent choice of leadership which ultimately leads to ultimate use of resources. Simply put, we cannot blame devolution while the real problem is the people we have put to manage our affairs – lazy, ignorant, unpatriotic, megathieves whose only loyalty is to themselves. Kivutha Kibwana has shown that devolution is not all woe.
When a county achieves universal health care, or spurs industrial growth, the national government achieves its objectives. There’s is no county-level and national-level development. They both count towards the same targets. And so allocations to the counties are NOT a loss to the country as often insinuated. But only if well-spent. What stops everyone playing their oversight role? Why are we continually excusing mediocrity and theft?
Is it therefore right to blame devolution for the crippling burden of debt we now labor under? I think that’s the lazy man’s excuse for refusing to acknowledge that they’re responsible for allowing thieving idiots to manage their affairs.
Add to that the bad manners at the national level – where the County Lords learnt from anyway – and you’ll see that even if we had six counties and the same leadership we wouldn’t have any respite ever. Take this to the bank.
Anonymous says
What is the financial cost of having both the senate and parliament ? What is the cost of running all the county governments ?
It is simple logic, that the government is looking for extra cash because it has run out of money .
Extravagance on the part of the government coupled with theft of public funds is the problem.
Anonymous says
200 members of parliament and 25 counties . period!
Onus On Us. says
we worship and role-model thieves including thief-pastors but despise the honest-poor as lazy, (quoting Ruto). we are the problem!! let’s sort our morals.
you were paid to bark says
surely this paid for writer is clueless in economics…..our cartel run economy ….thieves politicians that take huge pay ..pecks are burden to kenyans who are mostly self employed…….the gava cannot produce fact if employing anyobe since jan 2018….unless jazi za d+ za police…
wacha ujinga says
no katiba overhaul no elections…..punda amechoka…..operation waizi out..
wacha ujinga says
no katiba overhaul no elections…..punda amechoka…..operation waizi out..
kenya is sample of homeguard mess says
the writer must be son or grandson of homeguards that took over gava all way from independence thus side with thieves…..running political and left ..right cartels…
Anonymous says
PARTY ELITES PICK THE CORRUPT LOCAL COUNTY PERSONNEL THROUGH FAVORITISM AND NEPOTISM!
THE ATMOSPHERE WHICH HAS CREATED OKOTH OBADO CHARACTER(s) IN MIGORI COUNTY IS THE VERY FACT THAT NATIONAL PARTY ELITES ARE FORCING THEIR HAND-PICKED PEOPLE TO BE THE LOCAL REPRESENTATIVES WITHOUT CONSULTATION OR GIVING REASONS WHY!!
THIS HEAVY-HANDEDNESS HAS CREATED RESISTANT GROUPS AMONG THE LOCAL POPULATION! THESE GROUPS FEEL THEY ARE BEING LEFT OUT IN THE COLD WITH NO MEANS OF EARNING A LIVING!
WHEN NATIONAL PARTY ELITES FORCEFULLY INSERT THEMSELVES INTO THE LOCAL COUNTY POLITICS, THEY ESSENTIALLY CREATE CHAOS BY DELIBERATELY STARTING VICIOUS CAT FIGHTS!
CATS SCENT MARK TERRITORIES WHERE THEY HUNT FOR FOOD AND ATTRACT MATES!! THESE TERRITORIES ARE FIERCELY PROTECTED AND DEFENDED, SOMETIMES TO DEATH!
IF THERE ARE VIOLENCE AND CHAOS IN KENYA, THEY ARE THE NATIONAL PARTY ELITES CREATING THEM THROUGH THEIR DESIRES TO PICK SIDES IN LOCAL POLITICS. THE CITIZENS LEFT OUT OF THE LOOP ARE NOT GOING TO JUST ROLLOVER AND DIE QUIETLY WHILE THE CHOSEN CORRUPT AND DECEITFUL PARTY PICKS ARE MAKING THEIR LIVES HELL ON EARTH WHILE GETTING FAT ON THE NATIONAL PIE !!
CATS’ TERRITORIAL FIGHT ARE DIFFICULT TO WATCH!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUHPxRgDGnQ
UNTIL THE EUROPEANS SET FOOT ON THE AFRICAN SOIL, AFRICAN WERE NOT FORCED TO LIVE IN CONGESTED GHETTOS OR SLUMS WITHOUT ANY CLAIM TO LAND FOR HUNTING OR GROWING VEGETABLES!
I WONDER WHY AFRICAN ELITES ARE CONTINUOUSLY FORCING THEIR CITIZENS TO LIVE IN SLUMS WHILE THEY THEMSELVES LAY CLAIMS TO MASSIVE PARCELS OF LAND AND NUMEROUS HOMES INCLUDING FAT BANK ACCOUNTS ABROAD?? THEN THEY WANT TO DICTATE WHO MUST BE IN CHARGE OF THE CONGESTED AREAS AND DARE TO CALL THIS KIND OF SYSTEM WESTERN CIVILIZATION? MY FOOT!!
THE CATS DO UNDERSTAND WHAT A TERRITORY IS AND WHAT IT TAKES TO DEFEND IT!!!
kweli nugu ni nugu says
Yaani mtu anadika upuzu for dunia to see vile kichwa yake ni maji.
devolution ya kukula oesa ya umma na kulala na watoto ya shule na kuwaua…..nugu wewe.
orengos and all lawyers who gave thumbs upnto this katiba will be in dust bin of kenya economic sabotears…..
How many has kibwana employed…..kazi za over 60k and over……akispend pesa building ugly buildings io ni devolution….shenxi type…
shithole kenya says
plz admin remove this writers piece of shit……kenya is worse today economically…health ,security,sugar maize, kahawa ,chais k.meat c etc sectors deteriorited under icc duo…. better when kibaki was in office……..
They have stolen until they cannot pay themselves salaries….wanakopa……idiots..thieves…
2022 or b4 io wembe will shave their balls…wacha kichwa..