Kisumu Governor Prof. Anyang’ Nyong’o has criticized President William Ruto’s proposal for the national government to take control of road construction funds, accusing him of dragging the country back to the Nyayo era.
Speaking in response to the president’s recent remarks, Nyong’o said the move would weaken devolution and undo the gains made since the 2010 Constitution came into effect.
He urged President Ruto to allow counties to carry out their development responsibilities without interference.
“The president should let devolution work. We already have agencies like the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) and Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KERRA). If the national government is truly committed to devolution, then these agencies should continue operating within the framework of county collaboration,” Nyong’o said.
He also defended counties’ ability to manage key sectors, particularly healthcare. “Counties are managing health services effectively and efficiently. Meanwhile, the national government is struggling to manage even Kenyatta National Hospital,” he added.
Nyong’o accused the Ruto administration of attempting to roll back constitutional gains and return the country to the centralized governance system that existed before devolution.
“The truth is that the Ruto regime has decided to go back to pre-devolution times of the Nyayo era. The 2010 Constitution is a hindrance to its primitive accumulation schemes, which will affect not only devolution but also the spirit of building a democratic and developmental state,” he said.
He called on fellow governors and Kenyans to resist any move that threatens the principles of devolution and warned against destroying the achievements of what he called “the second liberation.”
“The achievement of the second liberation must not be destroyed by this regime,” Nyong’o said.
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