• As a practitioner of devolution, we support this push for constitutional reforms particularly if it is touching on a number of issues that are of interest to us.
Image: JOHN CHESOLI
I think it is fair for Kenyans to review their own constitution after enacting it in 2010, by now we know what works and what does not serve us well.
As a practitioner of devolution, we support this push for constitutional reforms particularly if it is touching on a number of issues that are of interest to us.
Number one, increasing resources to counties is paramount.
Number two, strengthening the Senate and making it the Upper House because that is the practice all over the world.
You cannot have a Senate that is the Lower House, so to speak, I think this is a good window for us to cure this dispute between the National Assembly and Senate once and for all.
The Senate should look like the House of Lords, look at all the legislation and be the second opinion.
We created a supreme Parliament in the National Assembly; there is a lot of impunity in the National Assembly.
They threaten other state organs like Salaries and Remuneration Commission, Commission on Revenue Allocation when they set advisory for the Division of Revenue Bill, they (National Assembly) ignore everyone.
They (National Assembly) think they can actually hold the SRC at ransom by reducing their budget. It is wrong and I think there must be a mechanism for Parliament to account to what they do.
It (Punguza Mizigo Bill) is attractive to us especially now that we are unhappy as counties on the Division of Revenue; this is the time to introduce that Bill.
I anticipate high political temperatures in the coming weeks; county assemblies and county executives will be picking up this issue of the referendum and running away with it.
We do not agree entirely with that document on some of the proposals by Ekuru Aukot. The proposal for one presidential term of seven years (this is my personal opinion). No president will have the time to create a legacy.
By the time they learn the ropes, the term is over. I do not think I will vouch for that.
But a stronger Senate, more resources to counties, we are in. We eventually must have this conversation as a country.
We support this idea.
County Assemblies Forum Chairman Johnson Osoi spoke to Star.