By Billow Kerrow
A disclaimer: I hold brief for my folks from North Eastern Kenya who are not invited for Sagana 3. My conscience pricks me to see our President giving priority to his region at the expense of others, time & again. And North Eastern (NE) is the whipping boy more often not in these gatherings.
From the pictures coming out of Sagana, placards of how county funds are distributed, number of constituencies in each county and one-man-one-shilling mantra dot the arena. As always, it is an attempt by the President’s men to persuade his backyard that they have suffered injustice in resource allocation, and in representation in Parliament.
Northern Kenya is often the target, that the regions gets undue amounts of county resources, CDF, bursaries etc. Any discerning Kenyan who knows the dire situation in Northern Kenya would know that is far from the truth.
Barely 48 hours ago, the President flagged off trucks carrying relief food to these ASAL counties where the poor folks lost their livelihoods to perennial drought, and millions face starvation.
It’s a debacle that plays out on our screens every year, because of Policy failure of his Govt & that of his predecessors. 10 years into his leadership, where he presided over his Gov’ts utilization of nearly sh 25 trillion during the period, our regions remain a basket case. No mitigation against droughts.
Poverty is over 70% in the regions. Basic services such as water, health and food are a luxury. But the President is concerned about what he calls inequitable resources to his backyard, not the deprivation and neglect that characterizes ASAL regions.
County allocations are a mere 15% of the sh 3.3 trillion annual Govt expenditure. The National Govt retains sh 3 trillion each year. Does NE Kenya or ASAL have anything significant out of this retained amount? Nothing to write home about on matters development. Payment of salaries for teachers, security officers, provincial administration etc. National Govt resources are largely for his backyard and other regions he deems fit. If there is equity in National Government resource allocation, including top public appointments, infrastructure, etc, let the Govt publish it the same way they publish county allocations.
Mt Kenya residents, like all other Kenyans, are concerned about the high cost of living. People are hurting economically, to a large extent caused by his administration’s adverse policy & regulatory environment.
The Govt is not in sync with reality of the situation on the ground. Mt Kenya residents would want to know how this matter can be addressed, not how NE Kenya gets county funds, or BBI rhetoric.
Official figures show the Govt owes suppliers & contractors over sh 468 billion. Tell them how they will be paid because businesses are suffering.
We can’t breath due to high taxes because of binge spending that has also made his Govt to borrow over sh 7 trillion during his term. Tell them about more taxes to come.
Tell them how SGR, Geothermal, Ports & other infrastructure on which GoK spent our fortunes have made our country competitive, created jobs or made life less difficult. Or how planned bailout of KQ & KPLC with tens of billions helps ordinary folks at the meeting.
Tell them about sh 9 trillion stalled projects due to misplaced priories. How will they be completed & who will pay for the misadventures?
Tell them about sh 1.9 trillion legal suits in courts against the government…& why in the first place?
# Tell them the truth of your legacy.
The Writer is Former Senator Mandera County.
