The last 10 years of devolution can be termed as revolutionary. From the complete re-engineering of grassroots development approaches, to increased participation of the people in government, devolution has seen record growth of infrastructure in far flung rural communities of Kenya, far much more than between Kenya's Independence and 2010.
In the last eight years, rural areas in Siaya county have opened up, a robust community health strategy involving hundreds of volunteers put in place, water access enhanced and agriculture improved.
As we commemorate 10 years of continued rural growth arising from 2010 Constitution, we remain alive to the gaps that have been identified during its implementation.
They include devolution of functions without commensurate resources by the national government, delayed disbursement of conditional grants meant to make up for development in previously marginalised areas and the ever-elusive equitable revenue sharing formula. The question of two-thirds gender parity is still pending. These are issues that we must deal with administratively as a nation to make the counties going concerns.
Yet there are issues that require constitutional restructuring to give the Constitution more impetus. Top among these is the need to make counties economically and socially viable through creation of regional governments.
The passage of necessary laws to anchor regional blocs into law is also long overdue. Indeed, the proposals in the Building Bridges Initiative provide the comprehensive package of all that needs to be done to move to the Kenya we want.
A referendum therefore remains inevitable as we move towards the next election cycle of 2022.
Rasanga is the governor of Siaya
