Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua says the government will not release El Nino funds to counties just days after saying that the national government has released Ksh.10 billion to counties to mitigate the effects of the ongoing El Nino rains.

Speaking in Mombasa on Tuesday while distributing relief food to families affected by floods, Gachagua said the state had released the funds to county governments to support flood victims.

PHOTO | COURTESY DP Rigathi Gachagua

He hit out at Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir, accusing him of doing little to help families affected by the recent flooding in the coastal county despite the support from the National Government. 

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"We don’t want to see any Governor blaming the national government for not distributing food. As the Governor, you also have money,” said Gachagua.

 The DP praised Mandera, Wajir, and Garissa counties for releasing funding to assist impacted people and challenged Nassir to do the same in Mombasa.

Governor Nassir and his Siaya colleague, James Orengo, later rejected Gachagua's allegation that the government had released the monies. They challenged the DP to demonstrate it.

PHOTO | COURTESY DP Rigathi Gachagua

A day later, Gachagua reversed his position, saying the counties should use the monies in their coffers to offset the consequences of El Nino, while the national government will not provide any funds to the counties.

Gachagua stated during a meeting with development partners at his Karen mansion that monies from the national government will be channeled through county coordination teams, development partners, and humanitarian organizations.

"We are therefore surprised to hear governors complain that they have yet to receive funds from the national government for El Nino." Such funds are not forthcoming. "They are expected to use emergency funds and re-allocate funds within their budget to intervene for the people that they govern," Gachagua added.

Those who complain should take a leaf out of the counties of Busia, Mandera, Wajir, Kwale, and Marsabit, which are supplementing what the national government and humanitarian organizations are doing.