Governors push for direct donor funding to counties for development
The governors reiterated their commitment to fostering collaboration and advocating for better service delivery at the grassroots.
Governors have called for a new funding mechanism that allows direct donor funding to counties, arguing it would expedite development projects by bypassing bureaucratic delays.
Speaking during a roundtable meeting on the state of devolution at the Mövenpick Hotel in Nairobi on Friday, the county chiefs emphasised the need for timely resource allocation to tackle financial constraints.
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The event themed ‘Redefining Devolution’, brought together governors, development partners, and the Council of Governors (CoG) officials to explore ways to enhance service delivery.
Key attendees included Denmark's Ambassador to Kenya Stephen Schonemann, who also chairs the Devolution Donor Working Group.
Governors highlighted a longstanding disagreement with the national government over donor funds.
While the government insists that funds must be channelled through the National Treasury to maintain oversight, governors argue this system hinders development by delaying disbursements.
The forum culminated in several resolutions, including plans for development partners to work directly with the CoG in designing and implementing county programs.
Donors and county governments also agreed to align all projects with the county integrated development plans (CIDPs) for greater impact.
Participants also resolved to engage the national government in discussions to address challenges facing devolution, including delayed disbursements.
The governors reiterated their commitment to fostering collaboration and advocating for better service delivery at the grassroots.
Earlier this week, governors from the Lake Region Economic Bloc (LREB), led by Kisumu Governor Anyang' Nyong'o, decried prolonged delays in funding.
They warned the delays threaten essential services and urged the Treasury to fulfil its constitutional obligations to avert a looming crisis.
Development partners affirmed their support for devolution and pledged to continue advocating for county-level development initiatives to strengthen governance and service delivery.
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