Mutunga blames Treasury for frustrating devolution

Chief Justice Dr. Willy Mutunga has challenged the national government and its agencies to embrace the spirit of devolution and desist from engaging in actions that erode its gains.

Mutunga, who spoke in Naivasha during a forum for the Council of Governors and Commission for Administrative Justice, said that the national treasury has frustrated the devolution process by starving it of the required resources.

Since the year 2013 the county government and treasury have engaged in a standoff over resources allocation.

Proponents of devolution have also been pushing for increased allocation of funds to the county governments while the national government and politicians allied to it have insisted on progressive increment of the share.

Mutunga, however, said that for devolution to succeed, it must be supported by leaders despite their political standpoints.

“We must not be blinded by the attraction of power of ‘the now’, while we are in the office. We all must be guided by doing what is right for the interest of the Kenyan people now and in the long run,” said Mutunga.

And as the next General Elections come closer, Mutunga feels the poll will be based on four key issues; equitable distribution of resources, security, corruption and the conduct of the national treasury in distributing the national resources.

Speaking during the same event, Attorney General Prof. Githu Muigai called for alternative dispute resolution among public institutions.