Uhuru, Ruto have starved counties of funds, says Raila

ODM leader Raila Odinga at a political rally in Turkana on February 19, 2017. With him are Homa Bay woman representative Gladys Wanga and Turkana Governor Josphat Nanok. PHOTO | SAMMY LUTTA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Raila Odinga said the government had failed to supply laptops to all Class One pupils in the country, failed to create jobs for all youth and women.
  • Mr Odinga accused President Kenyatta and his deputy of failing to end the doctors’ strike despite contributing millions of shillings at fundraisers.
  • The ODM leader said it was obvious the Jubilee administration did not have the concerns of residents of arid and semi-arid lands at heart.
  • Mr Odinga said President Kenyatta should tell Kenyans where the Sh215 billion Eurobond funds went.

Opposition leader Raila Odinga has said the government has failed to push for equality by denying counties funds.

Mr Odinga said President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto had failed to give counties enough funds, and allowed corruption to thrive.

“The Nasa (National Super Alliance) government will amend the Constitution to ensure that the devolved units have enough funds to wholesomely address their unique challenges,” he told a crowd at Moi Gardens in Lodwar town when he wrapped up his three-day campaign tour of Turkana County.

He added: “We will ensure that we set a maximum percentage of national revenue to be devolved to counties to 45 per cent as Jubilee administration have just stuck at the usual 15 per cent.”

The former Prime Minister said the government had failed to supply laptops to all Class One pupils in the country, failed to create jobs for all youth and women and done poorly on infrastructure development.

Mr Odinga, who said he was confident of clinching the Nasa presidential ticket, accused President Kenyatta and his deputy of failing to end the doctors’ strike despite contributing millions of shillings at fundraisers. The money cumulatively, he said, was enough to pay doctors.

CONSTRUCTION OF DAMS

“Despite being in power for four years, they are visiting various counties at the last minute where they are launching projects that have no budgets to support them. In Turkana, they are deceiving you with roads that were designed during my time as minister for Roads,” he said.

In the coastal region, said Mr Odinga, Mr Ruto re-launched Lunga Lunga hospital that he had commissioned when he was Prime Minister.

The ODM leader said it was obvious the Jubilee administration did not have the concerns of residents of arid and semi-arid lands (Asal) at heart by ensuring equality in terms of jobs and distribution of national projects.

“If elected as the president of Kenya, I will ensure that Asal counties have proper water harvesting mechanisms to ensure sufficient supply of water through construction of large dams. It is sad that Kenyans are fleeing to neighbouring counties for pasture and water because of biting drought and famine,” he said while pointing out that Uganda was hosting more than 25,000 Turkana pastoralists relying on large dams constructed by Ugandan government.

He defended counties for not having capacity to invest in mega water projects.

Mr Odinga said President Kenyatta should tell Kenyans where the Sh215 billion Eurobond funds went.

He urged Turkana County to vote out Jubilee because all regimes since Independence had neglected them.

“Now that oil has been discovered in the county, they are making inroads in the region. As a Nasa government, we will ensure that the Turkana community takes the 10 per cent share of oil revenue,” said the ODM leader.

BENEFIT FROM OIL

Mr Odinga also accused the government of being slow on investigations into the death of businessman Jacob Juma, claiming those who killed him were part of the investigations.

Governor Josphat Nanok urged Mr Ruto not to impose leaders on the Turkana. He said such leaders’ aim was to benefit from oil discovered in the region.

Senate aspirant Malachy Ekal, who seeks to vie on an ODM ticket, said Jubilee had perfected the art of deceiving Kenyans through claims that it had allocated billions of shillings for development projects yet none had started.

Prof Ekal resigned as the National Irrigation Board chairman and urged the community to support Mr Odinga’s election bid.

Also present were MPs John Lodepe (Turkana Central) — who decamped from Jubilee, Gladys Wanga (Homa Bay woman rep), Moitalel ole Kenta (Narok North) and ODM election board secretary Judith Pareno. Several MCAs also decamped from Jubilee Party led by minority leader Jeremiah Lomorukai.

Ms Wanga said the government had failed to provide security in the region and its only interest was in oil revenue. She emphasised that Mr Odinga engineered devolution that is currently improving the lives of the marginalised communities like Turkana County.

Mr Kenta said the Maasai were also benefiting from devolution.