NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 29 – Speakers of the National Assembly and Senate are expected to name MPs to sit in a joint mediation committee tasked with building consensus on the Wards Equitable Development Fund Bill, 2018.
The establishment of the committee by Speakers Justin Muturi and Ken Lusaka followed a vote by national legislators to reject the Bill sponsored by Senate Majority Whip and Muranga Senator Irungu Kangata.
The MPs will be keen to observe a 30-day window period provided by the constitution where they would be expected to have reached an agreement failure to which the Bills would be deemed defeated.
Kang’ata said he was disappointed but optimistic a compromise deal would be struck by the mediation committee.
The Bill would promote decentralised development through the uniform development kitty allocated to each ward to run specific projects initiated by residents.
The Members of County Assemblies had argued that devolution is not trickling down to the grassroots, with resources under the control of governors at county headquarters. The kitty mirrors the National Government Constituency Development Fund under the patronage of 290 constituency representatives elected to the National Assembly.
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