Raila calls for referendum to save devolution

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and other Cord leaders during the homecoming celebrations for Homa Bay Town MP Peter Opondo Saturday. [PHOTO: COLLINS ODUOR/STANDARD]

By JAMES OMORO and RUSHDIE OUDIA

KENYA: Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga wants a referendum to be carried out before the next General Election.

Speaking in Homa Bay town during the homecoming party of Homa Bay Town MP Peter Opondo yesterday, Raila said some constitutional clauses needed amendment to enable devolution to be effective.

The former Premier said devolved governments will not be effective if some articles of the Constitution are not amended.

“I want all Kenyans to know that devolution is key to economic prosperity of this nation. However, there are some constitutional articles which are a deterrent to effective implementation of the process hence a referendum is the only way to go,” said Raila.

He urged senators to expedite the process of collecting one million signatures so that a referendum can be held to enable amendment of contentious articles of the Constitution.

A few weeks ago, senators vowed to collect the signatures to enable them pave way for a referendum that would see them to have more powers over interests in their counties.

The Cord leader accused the Jubilee government of being an enemy to implementation of the devolved system.

Police reforms

He said funds for construction of all roads should be bestowed in the hands of governors unlike in the current situation where the central government still has the authority over construction of some roads.

“Construction of roads is something that cannot defeat a governor because the real work is done by engineers. There is no reason why construction of roads should not be fully devolved to county governments,” he added.

Homa Bay Governor Cyprian Awiti said he was ready to help senators get signatures to pave the way for the intended referendum.

Once again Raila said the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission ( IEBC) had to reform before the next General Election.

He said Kenyans had lost hope in the IEBC and it cannot be tasked electoral tasks.

Senators Johnston Muthama (Machakos), James Orengo (Siaya) and Otieno Kajwang’ (Homa Bay) criticised plans by the Government to use about Sh700 million to acquire an office for retired President Kibaki.

The senators argued that the office was not a priority to Kenyans at the time when many economic challenges facing them.

Raila was accompanied by more than 40 MPs allied to the Cord.

Earlier, during the homecoming of Kisumu County Majority Leader Samuel Ong’ow, Raila called for speedy police reforms to serve the public better.

Raila lashed out at the Government for allegedly planning to block reforms in the police service by having the Inspector General of Police chair the Police Service Commission.

He said Kenyan police still have the colonial mentality and that is why they have been mishandling suspects leading to death of innocent people.

Gem Memeber of Parliament Jakoyo Midiwo said since 1969, the police have always used high-handed tactics in dealing with protestors, leading to deaths of many people.

Jakoyo warned anti-reformists that fighting National Police Service Commission chairman Johnstone Kavuludi is not the way to go.  “The Government wants to get rid of Kavuludi so that reform is not achieved,” he said.