THE NEED FOR A REFERENDUM! There is a misconception that we are calling for a referendum so as to disband the IEBC and to increase funds to the counties so that they could be misappropriated by governors and the MCA’s. The worst of all is that the referendum is being pushed by Raila Odinga and his cronies to grab power from the democratically elected presidency of Uhuru Kenyatta. That is a lie and an insinuation which is being propagated by the jubilee administration to gain public sympathy to retain status quo. Let me make it very clear that CORD fraternity’s call for referendum in the past was conditioned on the increase of public funds allocations to the counties so that governors could run their regions and do developments without financial constraints. Am sure that position has not changed. The problem has always been how they could plan for the funds allocated and use them to bring positive change in the living standards of all the people. In order to actualize this, laws were needed to connect the national government to county governments in so far as the oversight role in the management of public resources is concerned. Therefore for the devolution to pick up, we need proper organization of counties from top to the bottom such that villages should have their own project management committees, personnel and finances to identify projects, plan and implement them by themselves while remaining accountable to the people and the government. In the management of their regions, bank accounts for the disbursement of funds from governors are required to be opened at the village levels and should be supervised with the necessary responsible county auditors such that while the national auditors are auditing governors at county levels, county auditors as well should audit the funds sent to sub-counties and villages for various project implementation. Am sure Kenyans will appreciate the fact that the above is not a practice in the current dispensation thus leading to the government funds being entrusted in the hands of one person – the governor who is likely to misappropriate it due to lack of transparency and accountability and lack of a systematic policy planning of the county. It should go on record that I have been fighting for a referendum single handedly and now I can see light at the end of the tunnel – that there must be a referendum whether the senate or national assembly want it or not – whether the president and his deputy want it or not! Am happy that even if my efforts may not be nationally recognized in helping bring this fundamental change, my happiness is that at least Kenyans are beginning to understand what was at the unconscious part of my mind when I began looking at the constitution and pointing out to the CIC and other relevant bodies concerned with the implementation of the new constitution the dilemmas that needed change. Christopher Amasava Aspiring candidate [MP] - Vihiga Constituency christopheramasava@yahoo 28/07/2014
Posted on: Mon, 28 Jul 2014 11:37:07 +0000
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