The Inter- Governmental Relations Technical Committee (IGRTC) chairman Kithinji Kiragu has urged the National and County governments to collaborate and look at devolution from a more strategic rather than an administrative and political perspective as the system is a key cog in the wheel of economic growth in the country.
Kiragu called on the two levels of the government to work together to transform the country by creating jobs and eradicating poverty in the devolved units adding that the two levels of government should agree on the imperative for a smarter, strategic, dynamic relationship for the country to move forward.
The chairman noted that devolution is very critical for the growth of the country hence the need to deepen and expand it.
“Devolution is here to stay. It is the high time the National and County governments worked together with a strategic framework to grow and thrive the economy of this country,” said Kiragu.
He noted that one critical area for the two levels of government to focus on is the agriculture sector which he said other than tourism, is the backbone of our economy, citing the current Kenya National Bureau of Statistics that agriculture was the worst performing sector of our economy.
Kiragu warned that the Inter-Governmental relations was a dynamic which is not going to disappear and might become even more complex as time goes by.
He said managing devolution is not a one-way thing, adding that the two levels of government need one another for the development of this country.
In his opinion, Kiragu said would rather give the Counties more money and stop produce inspection within the county so that trade could thrive within the country.
However, the chairman noted that even with the problems of corruption and finances, devolution has been good for service delivery with some Counties performing satisfactorily.
In terms of assets and liabilities valuation, Kiragu said his Commission has been able to do 45 per cent saying that with resources, the exercise shall be completed in the next two months.
“The issue IGRTC is solving now is for the employees of the county government, the municipal councils’ monies which they were owed before March 2013 to get their benefits for it has been long for them,” said Kiragu.
He said the committee is on a mission to facilitate a more strategic orientation in the management of Inter-Governmental Relationship in support of deepening and expanding the space for devolution and therefore improved relationship between the two levels of the governments.
IGRTC is established under Section 11 of the Intergovernmental Relations Act, 2012, as an intergovernmental structure whose objectives include facilitating cooperation and consultation between the National and County Governments and amongst County Governments as provided under Articles 6 and 189 of the Constitution. The functions of the technical Committee are provided for sections 8, 12, 13, and 33 of the Act.
By Catherine Muindi
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