Mombasa, Kenya: Garissa Senator Yusuf Haji and Malindi MP Dan Kazungu have backed President Uhuru Kenyattaâs decision to give county commissioners more powers, saying the move will assist in the fight against terrorism.
But a human righst group in Mombasa, Haki Africa, questioned the Presidentâs intention and claimed that Uhuru is plotting to weaken devolved governments. The group accused Uhuru of resorting to tactics his father, the late Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, allegedly used to destroy devolution after independence in 1963.
But Haji said there have been spirited efforts since by the political class to disparage the former Provincial Administration, something he said had demoralised them and led to rise in in security.
FIGHT INSECURITY
The former provincial administration has been depicted as a monster Kenya does not need since the days of the Narc administration. This vilification has deflated the otherwise one of the best government structure that was key in the fight against in security,â said Haji, who himself is a former provincial commissioner.
Kazungu broke ranks with his CORD counterparts who have opposed the decision to bestow more powers on the County Commissioners, saying the President acted within the law.
Addressing the Press in Malindi at the weekend, the MP said governors have specific duties assigned to them by the Constitution, which are different from those of the national government.
As an ODM legislator, I strongly oppose the leadership of CORD on this matter. Their criticism on the move to give county commissioners more powers to oversee the implementation of national government polices at the counties is unfounded,said Kazungu.
He said those opposed to the existence of the national government at the county level should push for the review of the Constitution. Addressing the Press in Mombasa over the weekend, Haji said High Court ruling of 2012 that revoked the appointment of the 47 county commissioners was defective.
