Mixed reactions were witnessed in Homa Bay County over
the proposed Bill that the National Assembly seeks to introduce in the
Constitution.
The Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill, 2025
targets to formally entrench the National Government Constituency Fund (NG-CF),
National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF) and Senate Oversight Fund
(SOF) in the constitution.
In an exercise presided over by parliamentary staffers
led by Mike Kalama and Mohamednur Abdullahi, some residents supported it while
others expressed their contrary opinions over the Bill.
Homa Bay County consists of eight constituencies.
The constituencies include Suba North, Homa Bay Town,
Kasipul, Karachuonyo, Ndhiwa, Kabondo Kasipul, Suba South and Rangwe.
In Suba North, a number of residents supported the Bill on the grounds that the CF and NGAAF have benefited many people in the country.
Speaking during a public participation to collect views on the matter at the constituency NG-CF offices, Yashon urged MPs to fast-track the laws that will ensure prudent utilisation of the funds.
“There is a need to come up with structural ways of using the funds to avoid misuse by people with vested interests. The law must take its course to people who may attempt to misuse public funds,” Yashon said.
However, in Rangwe, the head of Bunge La Wenye Nchi in Homa Bay County Walter Opiyo emphasised the need to come up with measures to fight any discrimination in the distribution of the funds.
He argued that MPs still have more influence on the funds and normally decide on who should benefit.
Opiyo added that there is a need for a law to be enacted
to reduce the influence MPs have on the distribution of the funds in their
areas of jurisdiction.
“MPs should be barred from employing many of their
relatives in the NG-CF offices. Oversight bodies like the Auditor General Office, EACC
should be strengthened to curb corruption and misuse of public funds,” Opiyo
said.
In Karachuonyo, MP Adipo Okuome rallied residents to
support the Bill, saying they have managed to support the education of many children
by providing them with bursaries.
He argued that they have used NG-CF to build Chiefs'
offices, police posts and stations to improve security in the constituency.
“I urge all the Karachuonyo people to sign up and
endorse the entrenchment of NG-CF in the constitution. We all know what the fund has done to us as a
people,” Okuome said.
In Suba South, MP Caroli Omondi called on residents to
avoid personal interests when giving their views on the Bill.
The MP appealed to Kenyans to be guided by the spirit
of decentralisation that seeks to take services closer to the people.
“MPs are closer to the people than governors. And in
the spirit of devolution, funds should be decentralised and reach more people
at the grassroots,” Omondi said.
