Raila accuses Parliament of passing bills that undermine devolution

Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party leader Raila Odinga now says the National Assembly is passing Bills that undermine devolution.

Mr. Odinga, speaking in Gem, Siaya County, on Friday, said the Legislature should not be used to claw back the gains made in the Constitution.

He further wants the national government to devolve the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA) and the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) to be fully under county governments.

“There are so many new Bills coming to Parliament...they want to take away functions devolved and attempt to take it back to national government,” he said.

Mr. Odinga spoke as he led other ODM leaders in the Gem Constituency Agricultural Expo, a gathering that brought together players in the agriculture sector with the aim of converting the lakeside region into a food-secure county.

The opposition had already faulted the Affordable Housing Bill, saying housing is a devolved function which is under implementation by the national government through the help of laws generated in the national assembly.

“There are functions which were centralised before like infrastructure...KURA and KeRRA...today they should fall under the county government and funds given to counties to boost roads,” he said.

The former premier re-affirmed to his supporters in Siaya that he would not abandon them should he get an endorsement from member states to become the Africa Union Commission Chairperson.

“I am going nowhere. I am still here with you...I’m going for African Union but Addis Ababa is two hours away so I’m still around,” he added.

In Kirinyaga County, NARC Kenya leader Martha Karua expressed her support of Mr. Odinga's candidature terming the Azimio boss the most qualified from the region to chair the African Union Commission.

“There is no other man who is more qualified with the experience to lead AU,” she said.