MCAs SAY THEY WILL BOYCOTT SEN.MURKOMENs COUNTY DEVELOPMENT BOARD MEETING SCHEDULED FOR 19th AUGUST ;- ITEN: Members of County Assembly in Elgeiyo Marakwet County have vowed to boycott the first County Development Board (CDB) meeting called by area senator Kipchumba Murkomen. Senator Murkomen had earlier this week announced that he will be chairing the first CDB meeting on 19th of August after the County Governments Amendment Bill was signed into law by President Uhuru Kenyatta. The meeting is scheduled to be held at Iten town hall and “all county leaders serving currently and in previous governments alongside faith based organizations and civil societies’ leaders” have been invited to participate. The County Government Bill was drafted by Nandi Senator Stephen Sang stipulates that the devolved government systems will be holding board meetings chaired by the senators. The MCAs under the leadership of Elgeiyo Marakwet County Assembly majority leader Wilson Kipketer and his minority counterpart Benson Kiptire advised Murkomen not to waste his time to call for the meeting as they do not approve of the CDB. This board is against the spirit of devolution and aimed at undermining the mandate placed upon the county executive and its components, we will ensure that the meeting called by the senator does not materialize on that day by boycotting, said Kiptire. The MCAs stated that they will not allow a board which they termed unconstitutional to hold a misplaced meeting aimed at undermining the authority and jurisdiction of the governor. We wont allow the senate to seize our constitutionally stated roles as the county assembly and even undermine the county executive, their role is oversight and legislation and so far we have not seen the come up with laws protecting the counties, said Kipketer. The county assemblys speaker Albert Kochei expressed direct opposition to the formation of County Development Boards (CDB) saying they are contention igniters between the national and county governments. Kochei who doubles up as the National Speakers Forum Secretary General termed the County Government Amendment Act that stipulates for the formation of CDBs as anti-devolution and obstacle to the functioning of devolved governance units. The senators are supposed to push for more funds allocation to the counties but they have turned their attention to even begin managing the monies which is the function of the county executive and the assemblies, he added. The speaker observed that the senators were not involved in the formation of the five years County Integrated Development Plans (CIDP) and it is illogical how they want to come in and chair committees they know nothing about. Murkomen had stated that the CDB conventions will be held three months apart throughout the term the current leadership is in power.
Posted on: Wed, 13 Aug 2014 17:26:53 +0000
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