COG calls for urgent meeting to discuss National Gov't's Interference in devolved functions

In a letter drafted by the Council's CEO Mary Mwiti, the governors lamented what they said is the escalating disregard of the constitutional role of counties, with the national government pumping in money directly through ministries and departments at the counties to fund devolved functions and also using members of parliament to launch the projects, causing what the council said was disorder within the devolved units.

Last week, Governors skipped the payment of stipends to community health promoters, led by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua at his Karen residence in Nairobi.

The event is said to have rattled county bosses who proposed channelling funds amounting to 3 billion shillings to counties as conditional grants to facilitate payment of stipends to community health promoters.

Governors have maintained that health is a devolved function, and resources should be allocated accordingly.

Among other things that will be discussed in the Thursday meeting is the implementation of the affordable housing programme. 

The governors feel left out of this project, with the national government only coming to them for the land on which these housing are to be constructed.

Other agenda items include the implementation of a market development programme, as well as health issues such as the impact of the ratified three health acts on counties and the distribution of Danida County government allocations...

Governors have previously clashed with the national government over other issues, such as education, where they opposed plans by the ministry of education to have early childhood development and education centres (ECDEs) run by primary school principals...

The push and pull between the two levels of government has been simmering since the inception of devolution, with the national government frequently accused of failing to recognise the roles of 47 devolved units in delegated functions.