Ruto team proposes fund for investigative agencies
By Ndubi Moturi and Gitonga Marete
The Kenya Kwanza alliance led by Deputy President William Ruto has proposed to set up a fund to ensure the independence of the Judiciary and other state investigative agencies.
In a statement read on behalf of the coalition by Amani National Congress’ Musalia Mudavadi at a press briefing in Meru, they said allied MPs will present a raft of amendments to the Budget Policy Statement for the 2022/2023 fiscal year to achieve this.
“The Constitution provides for the independence of the National Police Service (NPS) but this has not been the case with the micromanagement of the Ministry of Interior through the principal secretary. We can only ensure independence if we have financial autonomy of these institutions,” he said.
Mr Mudavadi blamed the National Treasury for the agencies’ lack of independence, alleging that it had failed to obey the Constitution.
“Our Constitution provides for the establishment of the Judiciary fund but the National Treasury has failed to enact it. Our MPs will present an amendment to the Constitution to ensure an additional Sh12 billion for the enactment of the fund,” he added.
Kenya Kwanza leaders Deputy President William Ruto, Musalia Mudavadi (centre) and Moses Wetangula (Ford Kenya) when they addressed a press conference at Alba Hotel in Meru on February 21, 2022. They are flanked by Senators Mithika Linturi (Meru) and Kithure Kindiki (Tharaka Nithi) among several other MPs.
The leaders also said Kenya Kwanza will promote financial autonomy and empower the institutions to deal with corruption.
“The Cabinet Secretary should choose the Inspector-General (IG) as the accounting officer of the National Police Service to ensure the independence of the national police service. The institutions will be empowered to deal with corruption and security in an effective way,” Mr Mudavadi said.
The leaders hit out at their opponents for rejecting their proposal to increase allocations to counties from the current 15 per cent to 35 percent.
“We have said that we do not need a constitutional amendment to increase the allocation to counties. If they supported it during the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) of 2020, why should they be opposed to the amendment?” Mr Mudavadi said.
Seeking to woo farmers to their side, the alliance also proposes to provide billions of shillings for fertiliser subsidies.
“We have an amendment to provide Sh5 billion for (the) fertiliser subsidy programme. This will help bring the cost of fertilisers down.”
Stop borrowing
The William Ruto-led political faction also wants further borrowing by government halted by parliament. It cited public debt that had ballooned from Sh1.8 trillion in June 2013 to Sh11.7 trillion currently.
"We also demand that the CS Treasury should not sign any due loans including floating sovereign bonds,” Mr Mudavadi said.
