Editor's Review

  • The MCAs want an audience with both Uhuru and Raila to air their demands.
  • MCAs are crucial in passing the key recommendations from the BBI report. 

The proposed referendum to pass the recommendations outlined in the Building Bridges Initiative report is now under threat.

This is after Members of the County Assemblies countrywide issued strict conditions before passing the report in their respective counties.  

Top on the MCAs list is to have the report amended to give county assemblies autonomy.  

Through the County Assemblies Forum, a task force has been formed to represent the MCAs' needs in the final report before going to the referendum. 

Led by Chairman Johnson Osoi, who also heads the task force, the MCAs also want the senate watchdog powers for devolution to extended. 

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With autonomy, the MCAs want county assemblies to be allocated special funds to carry out oversight on governors. Currently, governors are in charge of all county resources. 

"The BBI should insulate county assemblies budgets from arbitrary or politically motivated interference by the county executive to kill the oversight role of the assemblies. This is the only way we can ensure the constitutionally provided mandate of oversight by MCAs is effective," said Osoi.

"We recommend a comprehensive scientific costing of devolved and national functions and the devolved functions are followed by funds on a pro-rata basis from the shareable national revenue," he added. 

The representatives have also called for benefits conferred to the National Assembly to cascade to MCAs at the county level. 

To ensure their demands have been met, the MCAs have now requested an audience with President Uhuru Kenyatta and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.  

Osoi stated that it is a must they meet with the two leaders as MCAs play a crucial role in ensuring the report passes.  

To pass most of the BBI recommendations, the report will be required to go through all the 47 county assemblies for approval. The referendum is likely to be held next year.