A public spat broke out between the national government and the Council of Governors (CoG) on Tuesday during a Cabinet retreat in Naivasha.
This comes after accusations of service delivery sabotage and a proposed Ksh. Thirty-three billion budget cuts in the county revenue allocation for the fiscal year 2024–2025 were brought to the attention of CoG Chairperson Anne Waiguru.
The disagreement allegedly started when Waiguru turned down a plan to give counties Ksh. Three hundred ninety-one billion for the fiscal year 2024–2025 rather than the Ksh. Four hundred twenty-four billion that was budgeted, leaving a Ksh. 33 billion shortfall.
"If we continue to claw back, it will bring a revolution from the people. Don't be the government that will lead to a major clash with devolution. The Constitution was passed because of devolution," said Waiguru.
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But the Executive, headed by President William Ruto, denied any attempts to undermine devolution, pointing to heavy responsibilities in several economic sectors and debt service obligations.
"These fights and wars happen even in ministries and departments. Counties are our partners, not our competitors," President Ruto said. "Counties must be alive to the financial economic situation this country is facing at the moment," Prime CS Musalia Mudavadi added.
Waiguru requested that the Executive allow the Governors sufficient time and resources to carry out the development agenda in their counties.
"The Governors support Kenya Kwanza development agenda but they are urging to be given their own space to deliver their devolution mandate. We can work together to avoid the pushing and pulling," she said.
The National Treasury has promised to pay all outstanding payments to devolved units by the end of February 2024. As a result, attention is now focused on the Bicameral House, where parliament members debate the Division of Revenue Bill and the County Allocation of Revenue Bill in great detail.
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