COUNTY LEADERS SEEK REFERENDUM...... Governors countrywide are each collecting 50,000 signatures to push for a referendum that would give the Senate more powers, Minority Leader Moses Wetang’ula has said. But African Inland Church Bishop Silas Yego called for dialogue to end to the supremacy war between the Senate and National Assembly, saying the country is not ready for a referendum. “Its not time for the two Houses to compete. It is time to build the nation. The President had no choice other than to assent to the Division of Revenue Bill otherwise the counties could not have been given even the little money that they got. Let’s move forwardand increase the money next year,” Bishop Yego said on phone. But at St Joseph’s Catholic Church, Mr Wetang’ula and his Nyamira counterparts Ken Mong’are clashed with MPs Ferdinand Wanyonyi and Patrick Makau over which House was superior. While Mr Wetang’ula and Mr Mongare insisted the Senate was the “Upper House” Mr Wanyonyi and Mr Makau said the National Assembly was superior. Mr Wetang’ula said senators had agreed withgovernors to collect more than a million signatures to push for a referendum to give the Senate more powers to protect devolution. He accused MPs and the Executive of undermining devolution by under-funding counties. “The fight between the Upper House and theLower House is merely diversionary and should not be confused with the truth in the constitution, which is very clear on what the devolved system means and how it needs to be funded,” he said. He said President Kenyatta did not follow the law in assenting to the Division of Revenue Bill and added that Senate and governors willpush for increased funds to ensure development was achieved in all counties. But Mr Makau said funds allocated to county governments was not meant to kill devolution or demean county governments but that there was still room to supplement the fund. The Mavoko MP said: “If we allow the Senate to push for referendum we are likely to mutilate the Constitution,” he said. At Marafa Stadium in Magarini constituency, Budalang’i MP Ababu Namwamba asked Kenyans to concentrate on realising development goals of devolved governments instead of fighting over which House was superior. South Mugirango MP Manson Nyamweya saidthe conflict between the Senate and the National Assembly should come to an end. Speaking in the constituency, during the inauguration of the CDF team, Mr Nyamweya said the supremacy wars drag counties’ development agenda behind. Reports by Lucas Barasa, Pionciano Odongo, Robert Nyagah and Jackline Moraa
Posted on: Mon, 17 Jun 2013 05:14:51 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015