Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has criticised senators for summoning governors to Senate committees over the use of public funds, saying that mandate belongs to county assemblies.
The ODM party leader described the practice of requiring governors to appear in Nairobi for questioning as a waste of time and resources, arguing that they should instead be allowed to focus on their work.
Speaking during the 2025 Devolution Conference in Homa Bay on Thursday, Mr Odinga stressed that the responsibility for oversight in counties lies with county assemblies and not the Senate.
He insisted that Senate watchdog committees have no role in overseeing governors and that county chiefs should be accountable only to members of their respective assemblies.
“It is unnecessary. Governors should be allowed to focus on their mandates, not spend days in Nairobi fending off politically motivated summons,” he added.
The former Prime Minister also accused MPs of misusing their oversight powers for political or personal gain, including sabotaging development projects.
“Contractors who lose tenders are now using MCAs and MPs to fight their wars. They summon CECs and CSs endlessly, impeding development instead of promoting it,” he lamented.
His remarks came a day after President William Ruto accused legislators of demanding bribes from those summoned before parliamentary committees.
Continuing his criticism of Parliament, Mr Odinga opposed MPs’ control over the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) and the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF), saying these funds should be transferred to county governments.
“It is not the work of Members of Parliament to build schools and hospitals. That role belongs to governors. NG-CDF and NGAAF should be ceded to counties where they can be managed in line with devolved functions,” he said.
The Judiciary also came under fire, with Mr Odinga alleging that some individuals prefer bribing judges to hiring lawyers — an indication, he said, that corruption exists within the judicial system.
He noted that corruption is not limited to counties but is deeply rooted in the national government, particularly in revenue collection and procurement.
ODM leader Raila Odinga with Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga and other leaders at Devolution Conference in Homa Bay County on August 14, 2024.
Photo credit: George Odiwuor | Nation Media Group
“There is a lot of pilferage in these two areas. Corruption in the national executive must be addressed decisively if we are to move forward as a country,” he said.
“Let’s not pretend corruption is confined to politicians. The private sector bribes its way to tenders. Some media exposés are sponsored by rival interests. We must slay this graft animal together, or we perish under its weight,” he warned.
While acknowledging that corruption exists in counties, he condemned the “weaponisation” of anti-graft efforts against governors.
“We only receive about 15 per cent of funds, while 87 to 90 per cent of the budget sits at the national treasury, yet counties are the main focus. My colleagues say being a governor is like walking on a landmine — you have to buy your peace every time. Governors are targeted to spoil the name of devolution and eventually kill it,” he said.
The ODM leader argued that too many powers remain centralised in the national government and called for full devolution of key sectors such as education and infrastructure.
“We must devolve education up to secondary school. It is embarrassing that the Cabinet Secretary for Education is inspecting primary schools in Mandera and Garissa. That should be the work of governors,” he said.
He also called for counties to take over rural and urban roads, leaving only highways and trunk roads to the national government.
“Someone cannot sit in Nairobi and claim roads under the Kenya Urban Roads Authority belong to him. Let’s empower counties to manage their own infrastructure,” he added.
Warning that centralism remains a regressive force in Kenya, Mr Odinga urged the country to empower county governments as it prepares for an estimated population of 80 million in the next 25 years.
“The world is changing fast, and so is Kenya. In the years ahead, counties will either be engines of transformation or bottlenecks of frustration. The choice is ours,” he said.
He called for a renewed national commitment to deepening devolution, adding that the 2010 Constitution envisioned a fair balance of power between Nairobi and the counties.
ODM leader Raila Odinga (centre) with Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga and other leaders at an exhibition booth at Homa Bay High School during the Devolution Conference in Homa Bay County on August 14, 2024.
Photo credit: Alex Odhiambo | Nation Media Group
“Devolution is not an event; it is a process and that process requires clarity, fairness and commitment. Our Constitution clearly stipulates that the two levels of government, national and county, are interdependent. We must strive to honour that,” he said.
Mr Odinga also stressed the importance of County Integrated Development Plans (CIDPs) as blueprints for economic and social progress, and proposed incentive-based rewards for counties that meet development targets.
“Counties that deliver on poverty reduction and economic growth should be rewarded. Let our people see where it is easiest to invest and do business, and let them make informed choices,” he said.
He proposed that governors who serve two full terms should automatically qualify for pension benefits, just like their counterparts in the national government.
“Governors dedicate years to public service. When their time is done, they deserve to retire with dignity,” he said.
His sentiments were echoed by the Council of Governors chairperson Ahmed Abdullahi, who complained that governors are unfairly targeted for impeachment.
“Not a single MCA nor an MP has ever been recalled, yet four governors have been impeached and attempts made to remove another eight. Are Kenyans only electing the wrong governors?” posed Mr Abdullahi.
He also called for pensions for former governors, saying many live in poverty without fuel or medical cover.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi , however, challenged county leaders to make better use of the more than Sh3 trillion allocated to them over the last 12 years.
He noted that 688 projects worth Sh24 billion have been delayed across 34 counties, 40 projects worth Sh400 million are under-utilised, and another Sh20 billion worth of projects have been abandoned.
“This is a concern and should be addressed,” Mr Mudavadi said, adding that counties should not allow local politics to drive away foreign investors.
He also called for a system that rewards counties that excel in innovation and sanctions those that fail to address key challenges such as waste management.
