‘No such money is coming’ – Gachagua tells governors after protests over El Nino funds
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has dismissed complaints by governors regarding the allocation of funds by the national government to mitigate effects of ongoing El Nino rains.
Speaking during the launch of the Development Partnership Forum in Karen, Nairobi, on Wednesday, November 22, DP Gachagua termed as a misconception the governors' claims that the national government had committed to offer direct financial support to counties for El Nino mitigation purposes.
The DP clarified that the national government would offer support to counties through the county coordination teams co-chaired by county commissioners and governors.
"During our last consultation, we did agree on a coordination framework between the national government, the county governments and our development partners. We did agree that the county coordination teams that are co-chaired by the county commissioners and governors would be the forum through which to channel help. We did appeal to our development partners to upscale their level of assistance and I am grateful that continues to flow.
"We did commit as a national government to set aside funds for these interventions. We did appeal to the county governments also to consider channelling funds for these interventions. However, there has been a misconception that some county governments have been waiting for the national government to give them money for these interventions. That is not the case," Gachagua stated.
He urged the county bosses to use emergency funds to complement the national government's support.
"We are shocked to see governors complaining that they are yet to receive money for El Nino from the national government; such money is not coming. We expect them to use emergency money within their financial provision or reallocate money within their budget to intervene for the people they govern," he added.
The remarks come a day after Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir and his Siaya counterpart James Orengo dismissed the DP's remarks that counties had received Ksh10 billion from the national government for the El Nino interventions.
Speaking while distributing relief food and other items to flood victims in Kisauni yesterday, the county chiefs accused the government of a lack of El Nino preparedness and marshal plan despite prior warnings from the Meteorological Department.
"Serikali ya Kenya Kwanza ni serikali ya unafiki. Sifa ya mnafiki ni kuwa mwongo na pia akitoa ahadi hatimizi. Izo ahadi wametoa mmepata Mombasa?" Orengo posed.
On his part, Gachagua, who was in Kisauni for a similar humanitarian exercise, called out Governor Nassir over what he termed as a failure by the county boss to offer assistance to affected families.
“I want to tell the Governor of Mombasa, Mr Nassir… utoe miguu kwa gunia… As the national government, we shall try and purchase food. But we want the county government of Mombasa… the Governor to release the funds to buy food for the county residents. We don’t want to see any governor blaming the national government for not distributing food. As the Governor, you also have money,” Gachagua said.
He asked the county bosses to suspend ongoing development projects to help victims of the raging floods.
“Why are you keeping money idle in the bank? Every Governor whose county has been affected by floods… suspend any other development activities and provide food, medicine and blankets for the people. Once this crisis is over we shall go back to development issues. What is the purpose of the development projects you are doing if people are dying? If the people die, who will the projects benefit?” Gachagua posed.
