No Building Bridges Initiative Without Allocation Of More Money To Counties – Governors Say
The fight for Punguza Mzigo can be assumed lost after rejection by 27 counties out of 47, mathematically making it impossible for Ekuru Aukot to push through the initiative. Aukot needed consent from at least 24 counties in order to carry on the ‘Punguza Mzigo’ campaign. As Kenyans expect the Building Bridges Initiative report, governors are adamant that the only way it will be passed is if only more funds are allocated to counties.
According to county heads, the BBI should highly consider devolution in the sense of finances to “strengthen devolution”. This goes against what Wanjiku is hoping for in the possible referendum approaching. By construing to kill the punguza mzigo initiative to bring BBI on board with demands that it marries the Ugatuzi Initiative stinks of greed.
The initiative christened ‘Ugatuzi’ by county bosses says counties should not get less than 45 per cent of equitable share of national revenue. It goes further to propose an expansion of executive with the president, meaning the inclusion of a Deputy President, Prime Minister and two deputy Prime Ministers. Looking at these demands among other tabled ones, this initiative goes against punguza mzigo, one that calls for reduction of legislative seats and government appointments to reduce on expenditure.
BBI on the other hand, the end result of the famous handshake in March this year, roots for eradication of lack of national ethos and corruption, safety and security, lack of inclusivity and shared prosperity, devolution, ethnic antagonism and unhealthy competition and of course the divisive elections, which made human rights and freedoms violated. From afar, the vision is clear that this initiative is likely to be marred by an increment in expenditure and wages for government appointees.
The release of the BBI report is the gateway to another back and forth between politicians in which Wanjiku will be dragged into and if county heads stay adamant with their demands for more money, the mwananchi will have to dig deeper into their pockets to accommodate these wants.
