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By John Waithaka
Kilifi County Assembly Speaker, Hon. Teddy Mwambire, has voiced alarm over the recent budgetary reductions for County Assemblies following the signing of the Division of Revenue Allocation Bill (DORA) by President William Ruto. Hon. Mwambire warns that these cuts threaten the functionality of devolved governance, jeopardizing the legislative and oversight roles of County Assemblies.
While acknowledging the President’s constitutional authority to sign DORA into law, Hon. Mwambire criticized the lack of consultation with County Assemblies prior to finalizing the decision.
“Looking at the huge amounts reduced in terms of our ceilings, it’s evident that our assemblies will be unable to operate effectively,” he stated. “We should have been involved to share our views before such decisions were made and executed.”
A Threat to Devolution
Hon. Mwambire described the cuts as one of the most significant challenges to County Assemblies since devolution was introduced in Kenya. He emphasized that adequate funding is crucial to the success of devolved governance, arguing that “functions follow resources.” Without sufficient resources, County Assemblies risk becoming ineffective, weakening the foundation of Kenya’s devolved system.
“This blatant removal of allocations signals a lack of goodwill,” Hon. Mwambire said. “When you cripple County Assemblies, you ultimately paralyze the other organs of devolution. Devolution is under very serious threat.”
Call to Action
Hon. Mwambire called on the Senate and other stakeholders to reconsider the approach to County Assembly funding. He urged them to address the financial challenges and ensure that County Assemblies are adequately resourced to fulfill their mandates.
Safeguarding devolution, he asserted, is essential for delivering services and fostering development for millions of Kenyans. “We must protect the spirit of devolution by ensuring inclusivity and sufficient funding for its organs,” Hon. Mwambire concluded.
