Transitional Authority opposes referendum push

Calls for a referendum to amend the Constitution and increase funds allocated to the counties are premature, says the Transitional Authority (TA).

The cost of services to be offered at the counties was yet to be determined, and therefore calling for increased funds “is unprocedural” TA chairman Kinuthia Wamwangi said on Tuesday.

“We are asking to be given time to determine how much it will cost to offer services at the counties. Asking for more funds without this basis is not right,” Mr Wamwangi said.

He noted that the recent allocation of the Sh210 billion to counties was a “dysfunctional procedure” because the money was given without a definite budget.

“This is going to be a problem to us for the rest of the year,” he said on the sidelines of a public debate at Ufungamano House to commemorate the third anniversary of the promulgation of the Constitution.

Chairman of Governors Council Isaac Rutto has been leading calls for increased funds to the counties to the tune of 45 per cent of the national revenue collected.

Counties have been allocated 32 per cent of the revenue collected based on a formulae drafted by the Commission on Revenue Allocation. But Mr Wamwangi said the criteria used by the commission was “a historical basis” where the amount required for different functions was assumed depending on past experience.

The team in charge of transition to devolved units wants more resources and autonomy to successfully implement the key aspect in the Constitution.

The TA, which says it recorded progress in the devolving of powers, duties and finances to the counties, however cautions that politics should not be allowed to influence the pace of transfer of functions to devolved units. In a summary of key milestones from July 2012 to August 2013, the agency said that they had not been allocated adequate money to enable them execute their functions in all counties in the country.

TA had proposed a budget of Sh11.9 billion but was only allocated Sh555 million which it now says leaves it with no budgetary allocation to execute its mandate. “This may seriously undermine devolution if additional resources are not provided during the supplementary budget.”

Mr Wamwangi said the decision by the governors summit to order for transfer of all functions provided under the law to county may result in an interruption of services.