Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has renewed calls to overhaul the NG-CDF and the NGAAF, proposing that all funds currently managed under the two programmes be transferred to the counties.
Raila argued that the move would enhance efficiency, strengthen devolution, and improve service delivery.
He noted that CDF was introduced at a time when Kenyans were seeking equitable resource distribution under an “imperial presidency” that starved many regions of development funds.
“Most of the work was basically left to harambees, when you needed to build a school, harambee; a dispensary, harambee,” Raila said.
“But the system has since changed. We removed the patronage model, adopted devolution, created a constitutional commission to allocate resources, and empowered Parliament on budgetary matters. In this new order, CDF is obsolete.”
He criticised the fund for distorting the role of MPs, saying their constitutional duty is to represent the people, legislate, and oversee the national government, not to distribute bursaries or construct classrooms.
“That is the work of counties,” he said.
Raila also called for a shift in road infrastructure management, suggesting that all urban and rural road projects be handled by counties, while the national government focuses on international highways and trunk roads.
“There is no reason roads in Kisumu, Mombasa, Eldoret and other towns cannot be managed by the governor. It does not make sense that somebody in Nairobi, called Kura, has to come,” he said.
He noted that simultaneous construction projects in all 47 counties could significantly boost the economy.
He spoke Thursday when he officially closed the devolution conference in Homa Bay County.
While acknowledging that some of these functions are not yet devolved and may require constitutional amendments, Raila said legislation and delegation of functions could fast-track the process, ultimately placing “more power, resources, and prosperity” in the hands of local communities.
On corruption, Raila threw his weight behind President William Ruto’s criticism of the judiciary, blaming it for harbouring corruption and obstructing justice.
He alleged that some judges are complicit in protecting criminals through questionable court orders.
According to the ODM leader, there was a growing public perception that justice can be bought, with some litigants openly preferring to bribe judges rather than engage lawyers in legal battles.
“When people tell you, ‘Rather than wasting my money hiring a lawyer, I would rather bribe a judge and get whatever I want,’ you know the problem is deep,” Raila said.
“A criminal, when supposed to be arrested, rushes to court and obtains an order stopping the arrest. So the judiciary is a major impediment too. Corruption resides in the judiciary.”
The ODM leader urged a comprehensive crackdown on the vice, saying: “We need to deal with this issue squarely by looking this animal called corruption in the face and dealing with it. That’s the only way our country can move forward.”
Raila’s comments come just a day after Ruto sharply criticised the judiciary for enabling corrupt individuals to evade justice through what he termed as a uniquely Kenyan “innovation” anticipatory bail.
Addressing the conference Wednesday, Ruto accused some judicial officers of shielding individuals accused of economic crimes from arrest and prosecution.
“I want to ask the judiciary not to be a heaven for the corrupt to hide behind judicial decisions,” Ruto said.
“Somebody who has stolen public funds goes to court and gets anticipatory bail, making it impossible to arrest or prosecute them endlessly, how does that support the fight against corruption?”
