Billow Kerrow: Senate will nullify all County Finance bills

The Chairman of the Senate’s Finance, Commerce and Economic Affairs Committee, Billow Kerrow lashed out at the Commission for Revenue Allocatio (CRA) for defending counties for approving unconstitutional laws.

While addressing journalists, the Mandera County Senator trashed CRA’s explanation as ‘’wholly unfounded and baseless’’. The Senator confirmed that counties had 33 billion shillings in their accounts at Central Bank of Kenya. ‘’At no time did Treasury or Controller of Budgets delay transfer to counties’’ said Kerrow.

The Chairman maintained that the taxation laws passed by the counties are ‘’unconstitutional’’ since they did not comply with the provision of article 209 of the constitution. The senate has adopted Kerrow’s led committee report which proposes the outlawing of finance bills adopted by the 47 county assemblies, blamed for the new taxes that have sparked protests in various part of the country.

Billow kerrow promised to formally nullify all County Finance bills when the senate resumes.

Balambala MP criticize Nathif’s spending

Mr Nathif Jama, Governor Garissa County

Balambala MP Abdikadir Adan has accused Garissa Governor Nathif Jama of abuse of office. The lawmaker popularly known as Abdi-K criticized the governor and county administrators for misusing funds meant for development projects and employing only one section of Garissa. He accused Nathif for spending too much money on unnecessary and expensive trips, both local and international.

Speaking in a function at Balambala, Mr Adan said the trips involve several security vehicles and hired Administration Police band, and urged the national government to put the officers at County government on toes for proper service delivery to the people.

Balambala MP Hon Abdikadir

The county government should use more than 60 percent of the money distributed to them by the national government for development purposes other than employing staffs from one family, insisted the MP.

“Money is here with us now. What we want to see is our leaders sitting down and initiating development projects and utilize the money that is lying idle in their bank accounts,” he said.

He said that the major reason why Kenyans voted overwhelmingly for devolution was to create an avenue for counties to develop and not necessarily for employment purposes.

“Employment at the counties should not overrule the development that our people are yearning for. The leaders must open their eyes for development,” he said.  The legislator termed the governor "enemy’’ of devolution.

When a Picture is worth 30 million words

Mandera, if you honestly wonder why and ask the same questions, please pass this one on simply because you do grasp the irony and actually understand the reason why you should!  Pretty incredible isn't it? The old phrase for decades was: a picture is worth a thousand words but here are some pictures which now are worth a thirty million words. Meet Mandera County Assembly Members shaking hands and taking selfie with hotel receptionists and bar maids.

Enough said I think.....

 

 

 

Mandera is an Al-Shabab town, says Parliament

A joint parliamentary committee investigating the Westgate Shopping Mall terror attack has alleged Mandera is a terrorist town and that security agencies are no longer in-charge of the border town.

In a chilling finding on the extent of the terror threat from Al-shabab, the joint parliamentary committee claim security forces have neglected the town and surrendered it to terrorist. The committee further notes that the security agencies have no control of the town, especially at night.

The committee’s report proposes that “government should demolish all illegal structures erected at the ‘no-man’s land’ and clearly demarcate the border between Kenya and Somalia. A major trench should be dug to deter immigrants from crossing the border. People should only be allowed to cross at designated areas and screening of people crossing the border should be tightened’’

The committee co-chaired by Mr Asman Kamama and Mr Ndungu Githinji visited Mandera County as part of their investigations in to Alshabab’s terror activities in the country.

The committee’s  report further observes that security forces in Mandera are ‘’insignificant’’ and recommended  ‘’employment of more home-guards in Mandera and  re-opening of Administration Police posts such as Damasa, Libihya, Hareri, Khalaliyow and Border Point 1 in order to save lives and properties.’’

Qadarsworld is privy to information that Mandera Governor Ali Roba has, at the expense of tax-payers money, contracted the service of an ex-military officer whose role in the security structure of the county is not clear.

Governors snub Billow Kerrow

On Thursday, 23^rd January 2014, at 10.30am, the Council of Governors was to appear before the Senate Finance Committee chaired by Mandera Senator Billow Kerrow at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre.

The Senate’s committee invited the Council to discuss the first quoter financial report by the Controller of Budget.

The Council gave the meeting a wide berth. Even Kerrow’s  Governor never showed up. The only Governors present were Kwale’s Salim Mvurya and Ukur Yatanai of the restive Marsabit.  The two governors are members of the Council’s 12-member Finance  committee headed by Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi .

Our source informs that Hon Kerrow was furious  and accused the Governors of lacking commitment and vision for the 47 counties. The Senator threatened to tame the Governors in line with the Senate's standing orders. Mvurya pleaded on behalf of his self-centered colleagues but Kerrow wasn’t in the mood for such ‘’nonsense’’.

Kerrow instructed the council to appear before his committee on Monday,27th January 2014 2.30pm, accompanied by the chair of the 12-member Finance Committee. The Senator promised to tame the greedy lords of our counties.

Constitutionally, the relationship between Senators and Governors is that of check and balance since the Senate has the mandate to check on County governments. Those saying the Senate is interfering with the internal operations of county governments have ulterior motives. The citizens of this country must support the senate in ensuring devolution succeeds.  In fact some county governments are sabotaging devolution, therefore,  the greater need for the senate to police governors and be the watchmen of devolution. The core purpose of devolution is to promote development and provision of services throughout the country. Unfortunately the governors are taking us back to the old bureaucracies and grandiose that devolution was meant to cure! Counties have created village lords in the name of governors, running around with a fleet of vehicles complete with sirens that are financed by our money. The recent report by the Controller of Budgets has elevated the fear that there is significant risk that the 47 Governors are undermining devolution. The law must be amended to stop these 47 village daylight-robbers!

The senate is amending section 107 (2) (b) of the Public Finance Management Act to ensure a minimum 60 percent of the county budget is allocated to development expenditure – more than 30 percent of current rate. This is my core reason for supporting Senator Murkomen, Kithure Kindiki, Stephen Sang and Beatrice Elachi, the sponsors of the Bill. Since the core object and purpose of devolution is to promote development, this amendment is a change in the right direction.  The PFMA  also suggest that the Senate must ensure  governors account for how they have spent funds allocated in previous  financial year before the release of the next tranche of the equitable share of revenue to the government in the current financial year. This must be achieved because Article 96(c) of the constitution vest the senate with powers to excise oversight role over resources allocated to counties.

Governors have always opposed Senate amendments that are seen to be of benefit to common wananchi because their personal interest is conflict with that of the counties. Kenyans must and should support the Senate.