Raila: Abolish provincial administration; it's unconstitutional

Azimio leader Raila Odinga is once again calling for the removal of the provincial administration saying it undermines devolution and is unconstitutional.

Mr Odinga said there have been attempts to revive other structures of governance which are not anchored on the constitution.

"The constitution that Kenyans voted for overwhelmingly in 2010 does not recognise the provincial administration," Mr Odinga said in Nyamira on Sunday.

He explained that there have been efforts to revive and strengthen the provincial administration, which runs parallel to devolution.

“Devolution is now on trial. The creation of offices of regional and county commissioners is an attempt to undermine the authority of elected leaders in the counties. This must be resisted. The current constitution does not have a provision for provincial administration,” said the former Prime Minister.

He noted, “The governor is the Chief Executive Officer of the County. He or she needs to be given the authority and respect that he deserves. We have a situation where a non-elected person in the name of county and regional commissioner gives orders for people’s property to be destroyed.”

“We do not want to go back there. We know how oppressive that system was. We don’t want it to be reintroduced because Kenya fought very hard to put this constitution in place,” said the Azimio leader.
 
Mr Odinga was speaking during the burial of Mzee Benson Kegoro, a former West Mugirango MP at Metamaywa in Borabu Constituency, Nyamira County on Sunday.

He praised the late Kegoro, who was one of the delegates during the review of the constitution at the Bomas of Kenya as a champion of devolution.

Uganda opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye also attended Kegoro’s burial.