Uhuru, Raila agree on devolution, hail Gachagua as transformative leader

The late Nyeri County Governor Nderitu Gachagua’s funeral at Mathira Constituency in Nyeri County brought together two antagonising leaders in the country’s national politics.

President Uhuru Kenyatta and opposition leader Raila Odinga shared a podium and for the first time agreed on the importance of devolution and problems ailing the system of government.

They, in a common voice, criticized Members of County Assemblies (MCAs) for hijacking devolution to gratify their personal interests.

President Kenyatta faulted MCAs for abandoning their constitutional role of oversight in the county governments and using their powers to frustrate governors’ programs for the people.

The head of state asked the MCAs to give governors room to fulfill their pledges to the people as per their election manifestos, urging the ward representatives to seek electorates’ mandate to run the counties in subsequent elections if they disagree with the governors’ agendas.

“Oversight is not changing the agenda or the program as the elected governor has the mandate to implement his agendas,” said President Kenyatta.

He said that it is disheartening to see massive resources committed by the national government to counties not benefitting the ordinary citizens due to leadership wrangles at the county level.

Opposition leader Raila Odinga praised the late Gachagua for standing firm in defence of devolution against massive pressure from members of County Assembly (MCAs).

Odinga faulted MCAs for blackmailing county governors with impeachment threats to squander devolved resources.

He hailed the late Gachagua and Makueni County Governor Kivutha Kibwana for refusing to give in to MCAs demands.

Raila said that members of county assemblies need to learn and stick to their rightful legislative and oversight role.

“They (MCAs) do not know that oversight does not mean executing. Your work is to ensure that work is moving on smoothly but not to say that you cannot do this in my ward without my permission,” said Raila.

“In this regard I want to pay tribute to late Gachagua and Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana for standing firm in defence and protection of devolution,” said Raila.

President Kenyatta implored residents of Nyeri County to support the new governor – Samuel Wamathai, so as to accomplish the late Gachagua’s vision for the county.

He specifically appealed to Members of County Assembly (MCAs) to pass the new governors budgetary projections for the coming year.

Kenyatta promised to work with the current county leadership to fulfill Gachagua’s vision of transforming agriculture.

The two leaders hailed Gachagua as a transformative leader who unwaveringly fought the rights and empower of farmers.

President Kenyatta commended Gachagua’s tenure as the Council of Governors (CoG) chair for agriculture for moving a transformative agenda for the agricultural sector.

“If there is one thing that Nderitu Gachagua believed that we would transform our nation is to make agriculture a value added proposition which will help us create jobs and wealth for this nation,” said President Kenyatta.

Deputy President William Ruto attributed government’s allocation of Ksh 1 billion for agricultural research to the late Gachagua’s effort to improve the sector.