The storm raised by some members of the National Assembly on whether or not to abolish the Senate, rekindles the post-independence machinations under founding President Jomo Kenyatta that eventually killed the devolved system of government. Coincidentally, the current drama is unfolding under the rule of Mzee Kenyatta’s son, President Uhuru Kenyatta. The script and timing may be different, but the fears and concerns over dilution of devolution are the same. In 1963, the Kenya African National Union (Kanu) Government of Mzee Kenyatta was reluctant to execute a foreign Constitution handed over to them by the colonial Government, or the Majimbo Constitution, as it was popularly referred to. Presently, the apparent push against devolution has been fashioned as a supremacy battle between the National Assembly and the Senate. Assented to Bill Last Tuesday, the President assented to the Division of Revenue Bill, which allocates Sh210 billion to county governments. The Senators see this as an attempt to starve the county governments of cash and frustrate devolution altogether. The Senate wanted Sh258 billion allocated to the counties. Same as in the Government of the senior Kenyatta, the implementation of devolved system of government has run into fresh impediments under Uhuru’s Jubilee government, following his assent to the Division of Revenue Bill. At independence, Kenyatta found an appropriate and ardent fixer to the “majimbo” system in the person of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga – Kenya’s first Vice-President. Jaramogi has previously confessed that he was personally convinced a regional system was the worst. Duplication of functions “It inevitably produced duplication of functions, erratic and uncoordinated planning. There was an additional danger that money would be spent not on essential administration and services, but on politics
Posted on: Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:04:24 +0000
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