In Summary
Many Kenyans might accept that, but the mood in the
country today seems to be that the governors and officials of the newly
devolved counties are not just licking their fingers, but are eating all
the children’s food (county budgets) in a binge of corruption and
extravagant expenditures on expensive cars and senseless foreign travel.
The good people of The Gambia have a wonderful saying; that “He who feeds the child must be allowed to lick his fingers”.
Many Kenyans might accept that, but the mood in
the country today seems to be that the governors and officials of the
newly devolved counties are not just licking their fingers, but are
eating all the children’s food (county budgets) in a binge of corruption
and extravagant expenditures on expensive cars and senseless foreign travel.
The county officials are being corrupt, greedy,
and reckless, greedy, yes. But to return to the Gambian proverb, the
fact that the person who feeds the child is allowed to lick his fingers
means that there is food to feed the child. In real life, many children
go hungry.
Therefore the fact that there is corruption in the
counties is proof that money has been transferred from Nairobi to the
counties. And that in turn is evidence that one of the critical elements
of devolution, the redistribution of resources, is happening. If it had
stalled, the governors would have nothing to lick.
Therefore, along with the corruption and hogging,
one of the important discussions that need to happen around the counties
is how they will evolve.
Devolution has been on the Kenyan political agenda
from independence, but it took a dramatic turn in the post-election
violence of 2008. That traumatic experience convinced most that if power
and the national cake were not dispersed to the rest of the country, the fight for the groceries at the centre would destroy Kenya. The antidote to that was devolution.
Partly because a new constitution provided for
devolution, and the corollary limitation of presidential powers, it was
voted with a thumping majority in the 2010 referendum.
The second stage of the evolution of devolution
was the election of March 2013, which brought in governors and county
assembly representatives.
We are now in the third stage, which is basically
establishing the local county structures, and erecting the funnel that
distributes money to the devolved units from Nairobi.
These are very preliminary stages, and the
entrenchment of the counties will require something entirely different –
the rise of a political and economic elite that has a vested interest
in the existence of the counties. Let’s call them “the Countyariat”.
Right now, the Countyariat doesn’t exist. How will
it arise then? Unfortunately, a major source of their rise will be
patronage. In the next few years, friends of county officials will grow
rich from contracts to build offices, supply vehicles, provide office supplies, and so forth, often at inflated prices.
These groups, while they parasite on devolution
today, could in future have a more honourable interest in viable,
competently run counties so that they can sustain their businesses
dealing with it.
Important lessons for Tanzania from corruption and devolution in Kenya
In Summary
Many Kenyans might accept that, but the mood in the
country today seems to be that the governors and officials of the newly
devolved counties are not just licking their fingers, but are eating all
the children’s food (county budgets) in a binge of corruption and
extravagant expenditures on expensive cars and senseless foreign travel.
The good people of The Gambia have a wonderful saying; that “He who feeds the child must be allowed to lick his fingers”.
Many Kenyans might accept that, but the mood in
the country today seems to be that the governors and officials of the
newly devolved counties are not just licking their fingers, but are
eating all the children’s food (county budgets) in a binge of corruption
and extravagant expenditures on expensive cars and senseless foreign travel.
The county officials are being corrupt, greedy,
and reckless, greedy, yes. But to return to the Gambian proverb, the
fact that the person who feeds the child is allowed to lick his fingers
means that there is food to feed the child. In real life, many children
go hungry.
Therefore the fact that there is corruption in the
counties is proof that money has been transferred from Nairobi to the
counties. And that in turn is evidence that one of the critical elements
of devolution, the redistribution of resources, is happening. If it had
stalled, the governors would have nothing to lick.
Therefore, along with the corruption and hogging,
one of the important discussions that need to happen around the counties
is how they will evolve.
Devolution has been on the Kenyan political agenda
from independence, but it took a dramatic turn in the post-election
violence of 2008. That traumatic experience convinced most that if power
and the national cake were not dispersed to the rest of the country, the fight for the groceries at the centre would destroy Kenya. The antidote to that was devolution.
Partly because a new constitution provided for
devolution, and the corollary limitation of presidential powers, it was
voted with a thumping majority in the 2010 referendum.
The second stage of the evolution of devolution
was the election of March 2013, which brought in governors and county
assembly representatives.
We are now in the third stage, which is basically
establishing the local county structures, and erecting the funnel that
distributes money to the devolved units from Nairobi.
These are very preliminary stages, and the
entrenchment of the counties will require something entirely different –
the rise of a political and economic elite that has a vested interest
in the existence of the counties. Let’s call them “the Countyariat”.
Right now, the Countyariat doesn’t exist. How will
it arise then? Unfortunately, a major source of their rise will be
patronage. In the next few years, friends of county officials will grow
rich from contracts to build offices, supply vehicles, provide office supplies, and so forth, often at inflated prices.
These groups, while they parasite on devolution
today, could in future have a more honourable interest in viable,
competently run counties so that they can sustain their businesses
dealing with it.
source: The citizen news paper
source: The citizen news paper
