Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has come under a barrage of attacks from a section of politicians over his support for governors on the Division of Revenues standoff.
In a strongly worded statement on Friday, Raila called members of Parliament a threat to devolution saying they are orchestrating a power grab against governors.
He challenged MPs to let go of billions of funds meant for constituency-based roads so that county governors could manage resources sent to devolved units.
However, in a swift response, DAP-K party leader Eugene Wamalwa told Raila off over what he termed doublespeak.
In a statement on the DAP-K party’s official X account, Wamalwa accused Raila of killing democracy in Parliament through “double-dealing and conmanship’’ by allowing his ODM MPs to work with President William Ruto.
The party leader said that following Raila’s decision to “donate his MPs to the executive,” he lacks the moral authority to discuss Parliament's independence.
“When H.E Raila Odinga talks about the independence of parliament and the need for them to oversee the executive and let devolution thrive, he forgets that he donated the minority leader and his ODM officials to the executive,’’ DAP-K party said.
National Assembly Majority Whip Sylvanus Osoro claimed that although governors are pushing for more resources, they are sleeping on the job.
“Because I know that your heart is really for devolution, please hold a meeting with governors and tell them to work,’’ Osoro told Raila.
The South Mugirango MP accused governors of hiding behind Raila to escape accountability.
“Governors are not working, stop focusing on small amounts of Sh100 million of NG-CDF, focus on the billion you get and show us what you have done with it,’’ Osoro told the governor
Separately, Mumias East MP Peter Salasya, a member of the DAP-K party, claimed that Raila is orchestrating a scheme to deprive MPs of the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NGCDF) and Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF).
The MP claimed that Raila aimed to reduce MPs into beggars saying the move would force legislators to start pleading with President William Ruto for development projects.
“After him realising he could not auction independent-minded MPs like me to Ruto he wants CDF to go so that he can auction all of us to beg for development in our regions,” Salasya said.
He wondered how Raila suddenly supported all Kenya Kwanza’s plans, even those that had attracted concerns from Kenyans.
Raila said on Friday that the impasse on the Division of Revenue (Amendment) Bill 2024 is a power grab and an assault on the constitution by MPs who want to overhaul the structure of governance.
The former prime minister asked MPs to stick to their work of oversight, legislation and representation and allow governors to implement development programmes.
“This
development is exacerbated by the National Government Constituency Development
Fund and the National Government Affirmative Action Fund which are in the hands
of Members of the National Assembly. These funds give MPs the power to conceive,
implement projects and oversight them at the same time,’’ Raila said.
Governors want all the money disbursed to constituencies under road maintenance directed to county governments and not through NG-CDF.
