Raila Odinga, the leader of the opposition, has urged county governments to prioritize development projects that create jobs and put money in people’s pockets over raising service fees.
He urged county governments to be models of creativity and innovation in their own right, rather than mimicking the national government’s devolution practices.
“Instead, county governments should focus on projects that generate money and build roads for the people, giving them a great return.”
Odinga also encouraged county governments to allocate more funds in the cash transfer program to cushion the poor during tough economic periods.
He urged the controller of Budget and the central bank of Kenya to re-examine the law concerning County Allocation Acts, which contains a disbursement schedule.
Odinga praised Kenya’s progress since devolution started over 10 years ago, highlighting the opportunities for rural economic revival and the rise of middle-class people who have not stepped foot in large cities.
He emphasized that Kenya made the best choice by endorsing devolution 13 years ago, even if it was not an easy victory.
This is the 8th Devolution Conference attended by Odinga since devolution started.
