About 14 marginalized counties and 11 communities are getting worse after the government failed to correct colonial policies in place, the Commission on revenue allocation has said.
The counties and communities have failed to access clean water, infrastructure, health and education despite the national government directly spending up to Sh 12 billion in the last seven years to improve their lives.
“Colonial policies and practices, as well as inadequate post-colonial corrective distribution policies, have contributed to marginalisation,” CRA said in this year's report.
The report on the Second policy and criteria for sharing revenue among marginalised areas analysed three approaches used to identify marginalised counties and counties.
“They were information generated on historical injustices, a survey carried out in all the 47 counties on marginalised counties and a county development index constructed on the basis of information on poverty levels, the status of roads anduse of electricity,” the report signed by CRA Chairperson Jane Kiringai said.
Others are access to safe water, access to health care services, access to improved sanitation, and levels of literacy.
The counties are Isiolo (Sh 746Million), Kilifi (sh 763Million), Kwale (Sh795 m), Lamu (Sh 722million), Samburu (sh869million), Tana River (Sh 859million), Wajir (Sh 929 million), Marsabit (Sh886million) and Narok (Sh 809million).
Others are Garissa (783 M), Mandera (Sh 967M)West Pokot (Sh 866), Turkana (Sh1 billion) and Taita Taveta.
“The Sh 11 billion funds is drawn from the Equalisation Fund managed by the Equalisation Fund Advisory Board who draws its membership from the ministries of Finance, Health, Water, Energy, Infrastructure, Education, Devolution and Planning as well as National Coordination while the other four members are appointed by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance from outside the public service,” the report said.
The report added that a number of marginalised communities were hunters and gatherers, nomadic pastoralists and squatters while others live in gazetted and non-gazetted forests.
They said this poses a formidable challenge when developing infrastructural projects for them because of their frequent migration in search of water, food and pasture and the devastating conflicts that ensue.
The communities include the Endorois of Baringo, Ilchamus of Baringo, Sengwer of Trans Nzoia, Waata of Isiolo and Mandera, Elmolo of Marsabit and Boni of Lamu, Makonde of Kwale, Yaaku of and Laikipia, Dorobo Seleita of Narok
“The attendant conflicts require prudent handling in order to avoid any further delay in integrating their social-development needs into the broader national culture. Improving service delivery in communities constantly on the move needs to be carefully thought out,” the report said.
.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
