• Committee says proposal to increase allocation to counties and limit number of commissioners commendable.
• Committee, however, said the reduction of constituencies from 290 to 47 would be unfair representation
Image: STANLEY NJENGA
Kiambu MCAs have rejected the Punguza Mizigo bill fronted by Thirdway Alliance party leader Ekuru Aukot.
A motion to reject the bill was tabled on Wednesday by Implementation, Justice and Constitutional Affairs committee chairperson Yvonne Wanjiku.
According to the committee, the proposal to increase allocation to counties and limit the number of commissioners was commendable.
The committee, however, said the reduction of constituencies from 290 to 47 was an unfair representation and had a hidden agenda for populous counties.
They said the position of deputy governor is important and should not be scrapped. The team said the seven-year presidential term proposed by the bill was not ideal as it would put the country in a state of perpetual electioneering "which will not be cost-effective".
The committee found scrapping of special seats retrogressive and the timeframe for settling corruption cases unrealistic for "it could lead to many cases being dismissed for not having been concluded within the 30 days."
The motion was supported by Leader of Majority Gideon Gachara who said the reduction of constituencies would lead to less representation of bigger counties.
Ndenderu MCA Solomon Kinuthia said, "We passed a new Constitution in 2010 and some clauses are being implemented in 2015. Punguza Mizigo is trying to do plastic surgery on the 2010 Constitution which is on the verge of being implemented fully."
Riabai MCA Hezron Njoroge called on the speaker to "read the mood of the assembly" and declare the bill rejected. It was rejected unanimously by 92 members.
The bill faced rejection by members of the public during public participation across the county with most saying that it was not in their best interest.
Kiambu county resident Josephine Waithera said, “We sense Punguza Mizigo will serve the interest of some individuals and it is not addressing the key issues facing common mwananchi."
Peter Kiruga, however, said, “We are overburdened and if the Punguza Mizigo initiative sails through, we expect to reduce the number of leaders who represent us at the grassroots. We feel we are over-represented yet there is no development, no government services seen and yet we sent people to work for us."
Most of the assemblies where the bill has undergone scrutiny have not supported the bill with only Uasin Gishu endorsing.
The bill needs to be passed by 24 county assemblies for it to be tabled in the National Assembly and Senate for approval.
If it goes through, it will be taken to the President for assent.
The bill proposes an increase to county revenue share allocation from the current 15 per cent to at least 35 per cent. It also seeks to use each of the 1,450 wards as the primary unit of accelerated development, replacing the National Government-Constituencies Development Fund (NGCDF).
The bill also seeks to slash the number of MPs from the current 416 to 147, as well as alter the President’s term from the current two five-year terms to a single seven-year term.
Edited by R.Wamochie