Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has assured governors of Kenya Kwanza government’s commitment to protect the devolved system of governance and strengthen the partnership with them.
Speaking on Friday when he closed the 8th Devolution Conference in Eldoret, the Deputy President said Devolution is well entrenched in the Ruto administration’s agenda, promising to strengthen the partnership with the devolved governments.
“We have no room for a failed Devolution because it is the anchor of the Kenya Kwanza Transformation Agenda,” said the DP.
He said the administration is ready to work with Governors in spite of their political affiliations.
“We are ready to work with the county governments from all political formations because we serve the same people,” said Mr Gachagua.
He said national administrators have been directed to cultivate a good working relationship with all leaders nationally and in the counties.
The Deputy President also said the national government will endeavour to disburse county allocations on time saying within a year in office all pending funds had been disbursed.
He said the earlier criticism on the scrapping of the Ministry of Devolution was unwarranted as President William Ruto had put the intergovernmental affairs under the DP’s office.
“The President elevated Devolution and placed it under the Office of the Deputy President. In this regard, Devolution enjoys a direct ear to President Ruto from his Principal Assistant,” Mr Gachagua added.
He praised the partnership with the counties saying it will continue to blossom under the Ruto administration.
He said they had played a big role in distribution of subsidised fertilizer, fight against Illicit brew, drug and substance abuse.
“As we expect a bumper harvest this year, counties were key in the last mile delivery of over 3 million bags of subsidised fertiliser to our farmers in at least 40 devolved units,” Mr Gachagua emphasized.
He also said they had partnered in the reforms in the Coffee, Tea, Dairy, and other key subsectors.
The DP also said the government will intensify the fight against corruption without using it as a political weapon as happened previously.
“There is no corruption for national or county government. Corruption is corruption. This government will deal with corruption in the national government, in the counties and across the country,” he said.
