Opposition leader Raila Odinga on Thursday continued his onslaught on President William Ruto’s government, accusing him of returning the country to what he termed the dark 1990s Kanu days.
Mr Odinga said Dr Ruto’s government had usurped the role of Parliament and made it a rubberstamp, had starved counties of funds and had not fully unbundled all functions and resources meant for the counties, and that it had a plan to sell key parastatals for a song.
Mr Odinga claimed that President William Ruto’s administration has deliberately withheld funds meant for the county governments.
“This regime is frustrating devolution. Why is it clinging on the money meant for development? There are many devolved functions like health and agriculture whose funds are still held by the national government. What is the money earmarked for building roads doing in Nairobi yet we have a complete county government with elected leaders to promote devolution,” asked the former Prime Minister, who was addressing a political gathering at Kolalo grounds in Ugunja where he officially commissioned the construction of Ugunja town ring-road.
“Parliament has become toothless. All the powers that parliament wielded no longer exist, this is greatly undermining devolution which the people voted for back in 2010,” said Mr Odinga.
On selling of parastatals and other state-owned agencies, the Orange party leader lamented that Parliament had legislated laws that permits privatization of government agencies without the assembly’s approval.
“We shall not allow them to sell those parastatals. Parliament lost her autonomy and currently sings the tune of the executive," said Mr Odinga.
The parastatals earmarked for privatisation are Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC), New Kenya Cooperative Creameries (KCC), Kenya Literature Bureau (KLB), National Oil Corporation of Kenya (NOCK) and Kenya Seed Company Limited (KSC).
Others are Mwea Rice Mills Ltd (MRM), Western Kenya Rice Mills Ltd (WKRM), Numerical Machining Complex Limited (NMC), Kenya Vehicle Manufacturers Limited (KVM) and Moi University owned Rivatex East Africa Limited (REAL).
Mr Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has already obtained a conservatory order against the government’s plan to sell the state agencies valued at Sh200 billion in assets.
His sentiments in Siaya were echoed by the National Assembly Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi who accused the Kenya Kwanza administration of delaying the funds.
“The governors are frustrated. There are development projects that the governors are yearning to do but cannot succeed because the funds from the national government is not disbursed at a speed that is supposed to be,” said Mr Wandayi.
Adding, “The money that is in the Treasury belongs to the people and should be disbursed in order to do what is meant for. These are all gimmicks that the national government is employing to frustrate the devolved units."
"It is against the Constitution to withhold money meant for development. It's also against the constitution to deny other government arms funds like we have seen the courts facing same challenges," he noted.
"The people don't have money in their hands. You will not earn from over taxing them, don't introduce new taxes just expand the tax base and with that you will increase the revenues," said the lawmaker.
"There is money in Kenya only that few individuals have perfected the act of stealing from the government. Just seal all the loopholes that the money is stolen from the government coffers, if the level of theft is reduced or eradicated completely the country will have enough," he said.
