Governors blame COB for delays, challenges affecting operations

County Governors have listed inadequate funding, adherence on revenue sharing formula  and constant delays to approve expenditures, as the main challenges facing the devolved units since the promulgation of the 2010 law.

The County bosses under their lobby, the Council of Governors (CoG), in a report have now detailed major issues affecting the efficient operations in the implementation of Devolution.

CoG Legal Affairs Committee chair and Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jnr (pictured) in his report sent to the Senate Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations committee says the counties’ expenditures are constantly being delayed by Controller of Budget (COB) Margaret Nyakangó.

According to Mutula, the COB takes inordinately long to approve their requests, adding that legally, COB must approve all requisitions made by the counties before they spend the funds.

“There is a delay in approval of county governments expenditures by CoB. This results in accrual of pending bills by the county governments,” the report reads in part.

The Governors said the counties face cash problems due to insufficient funding and delayed disbursements by the National Treasury, a move they said slows down absorption of funds and development.

In addition, the County Chiefs have fingered parliament for the delayed approval of critical money bills, which slows down service delivery and delayed personnel emoluments.

Mutula’s report also states that the delays to approve audited accounts coupled with Treasury’s move to ignore commission on revenue allocation’s proposal on revenue sharing formula among the 47 devolved units are also affecting the counties.

During an Induction of the Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations Committee in Naivasha, Mutula the committee that much still needs to be done to realize the full potential of the Devolved units in bringing service and development closer to the people.

In his address the to the nine-member committee, Mutula implored the committee chaired by senator Mohammed Abass (Wajir) to intervene to ensure increased funding and timely disbursement of the same by the National Treasury.

Currently, the counties are owed close to Sh100 million for December, January and February, a situation that governors say has affected operations in the counties.

“The delayed disbursements have affected service delivery in counties to a point of paralysing operations and especially, essential services. Most of the counties have been served with notices of industrial action by their workers,” COG Finance committee chairman Fernandes Barasa said last month.

Also affecting the counties is the continuing holding of devolved functions by the national government and delays by Intergovernmental Governmental Relations Technical Committee (IGTRC) to unbundle, cost and transfer the functions.