Raila pushes for expanded devolution, says counties should run schools and local infrastructure
Speaking in Homa Bay County on Thursday during the second day of the 9th Devolution Conference, Odinga argued that governors should have full responsibility for managing schools and roads in their counties.
Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has called for a significant expansion of devolution in Kenya, proposing that education up to secondary school, local infrastructure, and certain national funds be transferred to county governments.
Speaking in Homa Bay County on Thursday during the second day of the 9th Devolution Conference, Odinga argued that governors should have full responsibility for managing schools and roads in their counties. He said national officials handling local matters leads to duplication, inefficiency, and weakened accountability.
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“The time has come for Kenya to devolve education up to secondary school. It makes no sense to see a Minister of Education inspecting primary school structures or construction in counties. That is the work that should be done by the governors,” Odinga said.
He criticised centralism as outdated, describing it as a system that delays decision-making and keeps local issues pending for action from Nairobi.
“Centralism comes with some bad habits; it thrives on keeping the whole country waiting for Nairobi to make decisions on very local issues that Nairobi knows little or nothing about. Devolution beats centralism at allowing local people to make decisions on local issues,” he added.
Devolve NG-CDF funds
Odinga also called for more functions to be devolved, including road construction and the management of funds currently under the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF) and the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF).
He said agencies based in Nairobi, such as the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA), Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA), and Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), should no longer control local road projects.
While acknowledging that some changes may require constitutional amendments, Odinga said others could be implemented through legislation and delegation of functions.
He stressed the need for strong county executives held accountable by equally strong county assemblies, with a balanced relationship between the two levels of government.
“I believe in devolution; I believe in more, not less devolution. I believe in a balance of power between Nairobi and the counties; neither should stand in the way of the other. I believe in strong county executives oversighted by equally strong county assemblies,” Odinga said.
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