Keter dismisses pesa mashinani campaign Kericho Senator Charles Keter has termed the push by CORD leaders to collect one million signatures to pave way for a referendum as an exercise in futility. Speaking during a fundraising at Kileges Primary School in Soin/Sigowet Constituency in Kericho County, Keter said referendum requires at least 24 county assemblies to bolster the process and the Opposition cannot marshal that support. MPs Justice Kemei (Soin/Sigowet) and Moses Cheboi (Kuresoi North) accompanied the senator. Keter said that though a section of United Republican Party (URP) governors led by Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto and his Kericho counterpart Paul Chepkwony have declared that they back referendum calls, the Opposition and governors’ moves will fail. “We held a meeting with members of Bomet and Kericho county assemblies and they pledged that they would stand firm and support the party’s position. Therefore, Ruto and Chepkwony are on their own on the referendum quest in South Rift,” he said. Keter argued that the Constitution was promulgated barely four years ago and needed at least ten years before any changes can be introduced to it. The senator argued that through their own initiatives President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto had progressively increased revenue allocations to the counties over the last two years. He, therefore, accused a section of governors led by the Council of Governors chairman of being insincere in their calls for referendum through the Pesa Mashinani clarion call. “In the first year of devolution, Senate passed a Bill to allow Sh190 billion to be disbursed to the counties. In the current financial year, counties were allocated Sh226 billion and the increment was done without a referendum,” said Keter.
Posted on: Mon, 01 Sep 2014 06:42:21 +0000
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