Kisumu Governor Anyang Nyong’o has voiced concerns over President William Ruto’s recent actions regarding the rejected Finance Bill, saying it should not be a gun to kill county governments.
Nyong’o said he read with concern the President Ruto’s statement regarding the reorganisation of the budget following his withdrawal of the bill rejected by the Kenyans.
He said the President has since referred the bill back to parliament with a memorandum rejecting all its clauses and followed it up with a statement whose contents mirror the spirit of the bill.
In the statement, the governor said the President proposed that the deficit amounting to Sh346 billion in the rejected bill should be borne equitably by the national and county governments.
The President has referred the Division of Revenue Bill back to Parliament for reconsideration and to factor in the perceived deficit.
Nyong’o said this would be a travesty of justice on county governments whose share of revenue is based on the audited national accounts, which are normally three years behind.
"How can the President purport to base the failed Finance Bill on the division of revenue allocations, which are calculated on a budget of three years ago?" he said.
Nyong’o added that the statement was a clear testimony that counties are targeted by the national Executive and they could be staring at what happened to devolution in 1964.
"Kenyans paid a heavy price for the current constitution and it's institutions must be jealously guarded," the governor said.
He said any attempt to reduce the counties share of revenue, which is already underfunded, is a direct attack on the existence and survival of the institution of the county governments.
He further called upon the 13th Parliament to resist any attempt to be used to kill the fabric of Kenya adding that they have already been forewarned by the actions of the ongoing demonstrations.