Section of National Assembly is seeking to have number of counties increased from 47 to 58 counties.
The additional counties are; Kuria, Teso, Mount Elgon, East Pokot, Mwingi, Gucha, Suba, Ijara, Nakuru West, Wajir South and Nyambene.
The caucus demanding increase of counties is 26 members of parliament led by Additional Counties Caucus Chair Marwa Kitayama, Mp Kuria.
In addition, Legislatures have approved a report from the Budget and Appropriation Committee, which proposed Ksh.7.9b allocated to the IEBC, the body mandated for reviewing boundaries, hence will have part to play in the county increment initiative.
This year, Kenya celebrated "Devolution at 10."
Counties are products of 2010 constitution, people are counting blessings and curses on the achievements of devolution, but is this the right time to push for the agenda of increase of counties?
The Bi-partisan Committee was formed to be bridge of reconciliation between the ruling Government and the opposition party. Its main formation is to bring unity and pacification in the country. Will it have a say?
Those in support of the motion argues that; increased development, diversity, rights of communities to manage their own affairs, promotion of interests and rights of minorities foundational objectives of Devolution, this is according to Marwa Kitayama's side. Are these going to be achieved when the proposal goes through?
Forty seven counties must be out litmus test and Kenyans should not just pass everything they have in sight rather they have to look deeper and use inner visuals.
Counties have made few rich and the they continue siphoning funds for their own benefit while there are those who are yet to benefit from counties, they continue having a begging hand and raising their voices but nothing can be done about it.
With these 47 counties, we have seen and experienced positives and negatives. Could they be doing public participation today or anytime they will bring the bill to mwananchi then, 47 counties are enough and we need more in future not now.
Health sectors
Almost three-quarters of the counties have no stabilised health facility.
Health sector is a moribund in the county level.
Drugs unavailable, inadequate in some of the hospital. Nurses and doctors decry the underpayments and delayed payments, poor working environment to the health officers, some counties lack enough health centres, a few dispensaries, few hospitals.
"We want more counties." It could have been better demanding more if health sector is stable in every county, when the people would not be complaining over health care provision, when health service providers are at peace at their work places and returning home happy than sad and disappointed.
From health side, it will be better adding more counties when existing counties have stabilised their health sectors.
Education
Vocational training and Early Child Development Education are part of educational level that were devolved.
We have seen nursery school teachers on strikes demanding pay, demanding salary increase, demanding permanent pensionable contract, demanding promotion.
"Give us more counties."
Are we mature enough to get hold of 11 more counties, when it is clear 47 is an uphill task.
Some of the counties have inadequate teachers at vocational training level, some have inadequate training centres.
Environment and agriculture
Conserving the environment is one of the mandates of the counties.
Is your county doing well in conserving the environment? Is your county doing well when it comes to prioritisation of agriculture?
Some might say yes while others will say no whereas other people do not know that it's the duty of counties.
At county levels is where we have seen a lot of self-centred politics at the expense of development. Because could it be development, there could have been no injuries from the Assemblies of Homa Bay, there could have been no immature ousting of Siaya Deputy Governor, Hon William Oduol from his seat just within months after taking up the role, Governor Kawira Mwangaza could have not face the brute force and near-removal from office by the Members of County Assembly.
The allocation of funds by national treasury.
How sure should we be that that those marginalised communities will have their say. Every fiscal year, legislatures have a tug of war over allocation of funds, this is where we hear of skinky narrative of "one man, one vote, one shillings," but at the end the parliamentarians settle on that one they are identified with.
Besides that, counties usually experience delayed fund release from the national treasury. It is early this year when counties nearly shutdown their activities due to delayed funds.
Nonetheless, after the elections, every county had pending bills, some had ghost workers withdrawn from the payroll, Kisii and Homa Bay served us example.
Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission do not silence it doors. They have files of those who are alleged to have misappropriated funds, squander funds while there still exist those who walk chainless-free after undiscovered 'succesaful' corruption deals.
Loopholes needs to be filled and blocked. Things must be set right, right in action not documents. When everything shalk have been put right, is when we will say, "add more counties."
This is not the ripe time to add more counties not even one is ripe one.
Addition of the counties will only be to benefit few and the common person will continue saying "Devolution has no fruits at all," "counties are not helping us anymore."
By:GLEN DON
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