Ward reps call for dissolution of county following transfer of tasks
George Kebaso @Morarak
Some Nairobi MCAs yesterday called for the dissolution of the county following the move by the national government to take over its key functions, while others expressed reservations about the move.
Those opposed to the dissolution argued that the country’s most powerful county, which also serves as Kenya’s capital, can still pick up the pieces and successfully forge forward.
But during the sitting to discuss Tuesday’s move by the national government to take over key functions of the Nairobi County Government, MCAs realised that President Uhuru Kenyatta can actually invoke Article 192, and dissolve it.
Members blamed themselves for failure to effectively oversight the Executive leading to its malfunction.
Umoja One MCA Mark Mugabi said it demonstrated failure on the part of the Assembly members that the county’s core functions were transferred.
“We are paid salaries to represent and deliver services to those who elected us. But when the core functions of the county are taken away, it demonstrates our failure as members,” he said after Majority Whip, June Ndegwa, moved a motion seeking to know what exactly transpired prompting the takeover of four core functions of the county government and that of the budget.
Participate in process
“We have failed. We only go for Kamukunjis when we have a crisis. We have disappointed Nairobians who elected us.
I am demanding for a Kamukunji of the 85 MCAs, and it is clear that if this county is dissolved and an election is called, more than 90 per cent of us will never come back,” said Mugabi.
However, Minority Leader and Karen MCA David Mberia said whenever Kamukunjis were called, MCAs never discussed any substantial matters, but debates only degenerated to shouting matches and political competition pitting Jubilee and opposition leaders.
He threatened to name and shame people he claimed have been benefitting from the county.
“Revenue collection in the county has declined from Sh11 billion to Sh3 billion courtesy of some people who were involved in parallel collection,” he claimed.
Ndegwa, in her opening remarks, said the invoking of Article 187 of the Constitution by the President needed to be communicated to the MCAs so they could participate in the process.
Baba Dogo MCA, Geoffrey Majiwa said MCAs should have been given a chance to audit the takeover of the functions.
His Makongeni counterpart, Peter Imwatok, the Assembly’s minority whip insisted that his pending motion for Sonko’s impeachment is still intact.
However, Speaker Beatrice Elachi warned that the situation facing the County does not require any more politicking.
She tabled the letter and Gazette Notice of the transfer of the functions to the national government for discussion today.
