Politics and policy
Governors Samuel Tunai (Narok) and Paul Chepkwony (Kericho) follow
proceedings during a meeting held to discuss the transfer of
agricultural training centres and mechanisation stations to the county
governments at the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute in Nairobi in
February. PHOTO/FILE
By NEVILLE OTUKI, notuki@ke.nationmedia.com
In Summary
- Rural electrification is one of the functions the Senate wants devolved to the counties after a petition by the governors, which led to the proposal by the Devolved Government Committee chaired by Kipchumba Murkomen.
- This means that counties could influence how the billions allocated to the Rural Electrification Authority (REA) are used.
- The Senate wants both the governors and the national government to share the responsibilities of connecting rural Kenya to the national grid in the short-term pending the full transfer to the devolved units.
The Senate has set itself up for a fight with
MPs over the control of billions of shillings meant for rural
electrification after the devolution committee endorsed the transfer of
the function to the governors.
Rural electrification is one of the functions the
Senate wants devolved to the counties after a petition by the governors,
which led to the proposal by the Devolved Government Committee chaired
by Kipchumba Murkomen.
This means that counties could influence how the
billions allocated to the Rural Electrification Authority (REA) are used
in what could spark a fight with MPs who next year are expected to
control Sh3.65 billion for supply of power to remote zones.
“This is a concurrent function which both levels
of government can perform. The two levels of government in the spirit of
consultation and cooperation should devise pragmatic mechanisms to
execute the function and avoid any duplication in the execution,” read
the report by Mr Murkomen, the Elgeyo Marakwet Senator.
The Senate wants both the governors and the
national government to share the responsibilities of connecting rural
Kenya to the national grid in the short-term pending the full transfer
to the devolved units.
But MPs said that counties have no capacity to
wire homes to the grid and that REA under the guidance of the national
government would continue with the function.
“There is nothing wrong for the Senate to discuss
the report on devolving all functions but the reality on the ground is
that counties have no capacity to lay electricity or major road
infrastructure,” said Omondi Anyanga, the MP for Nyatike.
“REA will continue to handle this work until we
review the relevant Acts of Parliament. The Constitution is very clear
on what functions should be handled by national government and county
governments.”
The role of connecting rural homes to the national
grid remained a function of the national government after the
Transition Authority advised that the counties had no capacity to handle
the role.
The Treasury will allocate the REA Sh7.3 billion
for the year ending June 2015, but the budget will be shared equally
between the counties and the national government. But the Sh3.65 billion
counties cash will be controlled by MPs.
The counties cash will be divided among the
constituencies based on their poverty index and population without
electricity and controlled by the MPs in what is set to anger governors.
Last year, money meant for REA was devolved to the
counties after the June budget and authority had to wait for February
for a new allocation in what amounted to “double budgeting” for the same
functions at the national and the county levels.
“The national government revenue share is divided
equally among the two levels of government since rural electrification
is a shared function,” reads the Division of Revenue Bill tabled last
Thursday in Parliament by Leader of Majority Aden Duale.
Governors have unsuccessfully sought to control
the use of revenues devolved to the counties including the Equalisation
Fund and allocation to the regional hospitals, commonly referred to as
Level 5.
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