Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has urged President William Ruto not to resurrect the provincial administration system, calling it a
colonial relic that has no place in modern Kenya.
Speaking during the Madaraka Day celebrations
held at the Raila Odinga Stadium in Homa Bay on Sunday, the former Prime
Minister emphasised the need to strengthen devolution rather than centralise
power.
“Provincial administration is a relic of colonialism,” Raila said.
“It has no place today in a free and independent
country. Let county governments receive sufficient resources and be allowed to
deliver services to the people.”
Raila called on President Ruto to empower counties by ensuring that more funds are allocated to devolved units.
He urged
Parliament to honour a previous agreement to allocate Sh450 billion to
counties in the upcoming national budget.
“We want to see devolution working,” Raila said.
“Counties need to be properly funded so that they can provide essential
services. There are also some national functions that can be delegated to
counties to make governance more effective.”
He further stressed that while Members of
Parliament must continue their oversight, legislative, and representative
roles, development work should be left to the counties.
Raila also used the national platform to urge
for national unity and inclusion, saying Kenyans must not be divided along
lines of tribe, gender, religion, or culture.
“This is what our founding fathers
envisioned—one nation united in diversity,” he said.
Raila also spoke on the 2022 and 2024 protests, urging for compensation for victims
and families affected during those periods.
“There are people who were injured, and others
who lost their lives. Let us give them justice through compensation so that we
can have closure and move forward in unity,” he said.
Raila acknowledged recent gestures of reconciliation, including apologies made during the National Prayer Breakfast, and called for continued dialogue to foster peace and national cohesion.
