Sunday, September 12, 2010

MPs in push to scrap provincial administration



Members of the provincial administration at a past public function. PHOTO/ FILE By Nation Team newsdek@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Sunday, September 12 2010 at 22:00
In Summary

They want to ensure PCs, district commissioners and officers have no place in governance

MPs are plotting to remove the provincial administration from the country’s governance structures once the laws to implement the Constitution are debated in Parliament.

The MPs said they would propose amendments to Bills on the devolved government to ensure that the provincial administration is scrapped.

The MPs spoke as Prime Minister Raila Odinga and two Cabinet ministers told civil servants to keep off the implementation of the new laws, saying only Parliament had the authority to make laws.

“It is Parliament that makes laws and not the public servants,” the PM said while addressing mourners who attended the burial of the father of Kisumu Catholic bishop Zacheaus Okoth in Nyakach.

But even in the face of the storm caused by the ongoing plan by the government to restructure the provincial administration to make it fit into the devolved government structure as spelt out in the new Constitution, Internal Security assistant minister Joshua Ojode insisted that district commissioners, district officers and chiefs are here to stay.

“It is true that the new Constitution has scrapped the position of provincial commissioners. But the other cadres of provincial administrators, including chiefs, DCs and others will remain,” Mr Ojode insisted.

“Just imagine the absence of chiefs or their assistants in the village. It is going to be chaotic because of the poverty levels we have currently. We have to maintain them and other levels of the provincial administration for security purposes. We still need them,” he said.

Mr Ojode said the ministry had asked the team spearheading the restructuring to ensure the proposals are consistent with the new laws.

Take war to House

Speaking at a funds drive in Narok South constituency at the weekend, MPs Nkoidila ole Lankas (Narok South) and Moses Lesonet (Eldama Ravine) said they will take the war against the provincial administration to the floor of the House.

They said that once the legislation on counties comes up for debate in Parliament, they would ensure that PCs, DCs, DOs and chiefs have no place in the governance of counties.

“We shall only accept teachers and the police as national government employees in the counties. But if the government insists on having the provincial administration, then they must work under the governors,” said Mr Lesonet.

Speaking separately, Lands minister James Orengo and his Forestry and Wildlife counterpart Noah Wekesa said the planned changes within the provincial administration had not been discussed at Cabinet level.

“There were no consultations at the Cabinet level. The new Constitution says that the provincial administration should be restructured to align itself with the devolved government but it should not be superior to the county government,” said Mr Orengo.

He accused the Internal Security ministry of failing to consult widely before coming up with the proposals.

“What should have happened is that they (Internal Security ministry) should have prepared a concept paper detailing their proposals, discussed it with all the stakeholders – including the Cabinet, the implementation commission and Parliament – because Parliament will have the last say on the matter,” he added.

Dr Wekesa warned the ministry against re-introducing the provincial administration, saying it would water down the authority of the county governments.

“I am the PNU vice-chairman and a member of the Cabinet and I can tell you that this matter has not been discussed within PNU or the Cabinet. It emanated from the Ministry of Internal Security and Provincial Administration. When I read the Constitution, I don’t see anything like retaining or revamping the provincial administration because it causes a collision with the county governments, whose functions are clearly spelt out in the new Constitution,” he said.

The team working on the restructuring plan, led by Internal Security permanent secretary Francis Kimemia, wants to reintroduce paramount chiefs and appoint more regional commissioners to coordinate the functions and policies of the national government in each of the 47 counties.

Reported by Dave Opiyo, Peter Leftie and Julius Sigei

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