County bosses meet in Naivasha Monday

PHOTO | FILE Governors’ Council chairman Isaac Rutto (centre) and his members address the media in Mombasa in July. Governors converge in Naivasha on January 20, 2014 for a two-day conference to discuss the state of devolution.   NATION MEDIA GROUP

In Summary

• Leaders will exchange ideas on how to execute devolved governance
• President Paul Kagame of Rwanda will be the chief guest at Kenya’s first governors’ summit to be hosted by the Nation Media Group (NMG) at the Great Rift Valley Lodge.
• Key topics to be discussed are: Leadership, Making Devolution Work and Positioning Your County in the Regional Economy.

By Nation Reporter
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Governors converge in Naivasha Monday for a two-day conference to discuss the state of devolution.

President Paul Kagame of Rwanda will be the chief guest at Kenya’s first governors’ summit to be hosted by the Nation Media Group (NMG) at the Great Rift Valley Lodge.

Debate on the future of the new form of government created by the 2010 Constitution has taken centre stage, in particular since the March 4, General Election.

OBJECTIVES

NMG Chief Executive Officer Linus Gitahi says the governors will discuss how to make devolution work and achieve objectives of county governments without undermining goals of the national government.

“We want to change the nature of the conversation because all we have heard are accusations and counter accusations whereby the national government accuses the county governments of laxity and the county governments in turn ask for more devolved funds and autonomy.

“Devolution has created the need for a fresh conversation and thinking around governance. The idea is to change the discourse so that citizens are not in the dark.”

He added: “We consider the promotion of dialogue that moves the country forward to be within NMG’s professional, social and corporate obligations.”

Bomet County Governor Isaac Rutto, who chairs the Council of Governors, will together with NMG chairman Wilfred Kiboro open the summit. It closes on Tuesday.

Slovak Republic Ambassador, Dr Michal Mlynar, will give a presentation during discussions as will Attorney-General Githu Muigai, Mr Benson Wairegi, Britam’s group managing director as well as the chairman of Chamber of Commerce Kiprono Kittony.

 

Wajir Governor Ahmed Mohammad and his Nairobi counterpart Evans Kidero, Mr Philip Kinisu, chairman of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Africa’s board of governance, Kenyatta University Vice-Chancellor Olive Mugenda and Mr Gitahi will give presentations as panellists.

They will be joined by Mr Maurice Korir of Ogilvy Kenya and Prof Chege Mungai, Mt Kenya University’s deputy vice- chancellor.

Governors Wycliffe Oparanya (Kakamega), Hassan Joho (Mombasa), Cyprian Awiti (Homa Bay) and James Ongwae (Kisii) are also panellists.

Equity Bank’s Chief Operating Officer Julius Kipngetich and Lordship Africa’s Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Jackson, Rafiki DTM General Manager George Mbira and Nation Media Group’s Chief Operating Officer Tom Mshindi are also panellists.

Other speakers are Dr Jane Njuru of Mt Kenya University and Prof Ruth Oniang’o of Africa Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development.

LIVE BROADCAST

Reneva Fourie, a public policy analyst and the permanent executive secretary of the All-Africa Ministerial Conference on Decentralisation and Local Development will address the governors at a welcome cocktail party this evening.

Other key sponsors of the summit are PwC, Kenyatta University, Mount Kenya University, Britam, and Co-operative Bank. Others are Lordship Africa, Rafiki Deposit Taking Microfinance, National Bank and Ogilvy.

Kenyans will have a chance to follow the conference on NTV, Easy and Qfm and on Nation digital platforms.

Key topics to be discussed are: Leadership, Making Devolution Work and Positioning Your County in the Regional Economy.