The transfer of all remaining devolved functions as stipulated under the Constitution will be complete in a month’s time according to the Intergovernmental Relations Technical Committee (IGRTC).
The committee exuded confidence that it would meet the set deadline of February even as the national and county governments continued bickering over some functions.
This came as the committee called on the two levels of government to coordinate and cooperate; noting that failure from any of the two could adversely affect service delivery.
In the last couple of months, the national and county governments have differed on some functions with the affordable fertilizer programme, Universal health care and affordable housing being the top.
According to IGRTC Chairman Kithinji Kiragu, they were working on the final report which was expected to be ready by the end of February.
He said that majority of the functions had already been devolved as per the constitution adding that the committee would meet its set deadline for the remaining functions.
“The President had given us 60 days to make sure that all pending devolved functions are transferred to counties and we shall meet that by the end of February,” he said.
Kithinji was addressing the press in Sawela Lodge in Naivasha during a validation meeting for stakeholders on the proposed transfer of functions.
“We have seen the national and county governments work together in the ongoing affordable housing and the universal health care programmes and this is the way to go,” he said.
The committee vice-chair Saadia Kontoma said that they had managed to resolve tens of disputes between the two levels of government through alternative dispute resolution.
She said that the committee had managed to resolve six functions which has been a bone of contention between the national and county governments.
“As part of resolving the disputes, we made sure that we built consensus between the two levels of governments as part of improving service delivery,” she said.
This was echoed by Linet Mavu, the chair of functional analysis, costing and transfer who said that the twelve committees were fine-tuning the final report.
“We have 12 thematic areas that have some pending issues and these are being addressed by various committees so that we can meet the set deadlines,” she said.
Judy Oduma from ACT organization lauded the committee for a well done job which was part of strengthening devolution adding that they would continue supporting the process.
