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Kenya

Strike hardened national, county govts seek to strengthen cooperation

Deputy President William Ruto Chairs the Intergovernmental Budget and Economic Council/PSCU

NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 16 – President Uhuru Kenyatta has directed the Attorney General to review the scope of the intergovernmental technical relations committee in a bid to address emerging issues and foster partnerships  between the national government and county governments.

In his State of the Nation address to a joint sitting of Parliament Wednesday, the Head of State underscored the importance of a stronger intergovernmental cooperation framework to iron out challenges that have been witnessed since the inception of devolution.

“I have directed the Attorney General, in consultation with the Council of Governors, to review the scope and mandate of the Inter-Governmental Technical Relations Committee,” Kenyatta stated.

He said the national government has throughout his tenure transferred funds to the county governments above the Constitutional requirement of fifteen per cent of government revenues, hence  igniting economic dynamism in counties through strategic partnerships.

“One of my proudest achievements as President has been to chaperone the implementation of a devolved system of government,” he said.

“My administration has gone over and beyond the Constitutional requirement by increasing the percentage of shareable revenues from 15 per cent to 34 per cent,” he added noting efforts made by the Jubilee Administration to support county governments through conditional grants.

According to Kenyatta, the Jubilee regime has over the past four year continued to engage county governments through the Intergovernmental Budget and Economic Council chaired by the Deputy President,  to improve the capacity of devolved governments to drive economic growth.

The President has said the government remains committed to supporting county governments for the betterment of the lives of Kenyans.

“My administration’s championing of devolution goes beyond the legal processes of implementation,” he explained.

Kenyatta did not fall short of outlining significant achievements his administration has realised in counties across the nation ranging from carpeting of the first road in Wajir county to the conducting of the first caesarian section in Garissa county.

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At the Coast region, the president cited the rehabilitation of the King Fadh Hospital which the national government worked together with the county government of Lamu to restore.

In the Rift Valley region, President Kenyatta said plans to build new stadia in  Uasin Gishu and Narok county were underway as residents of Turkana county recently benefited from insurance that seeks to shield pastoralists in drought-stricken counties from adverse  effects of famine.

In addition, the government has provided street lights to all county headquarters as well as another 36 towns which he said boosted local economies by increasing the hours of doing business.

 

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