County governments have been with us since 2013, when the first elections under the current constitution were held. Creation of the devolved units was in response to the concentration of economic power in Nairobi and skewed distribution of the same on political grounds.
The crafters of the new constitution thus thought that creation of the devolved units would hit two birds with one stone — grant a form of political autonomy while also offering a predictable formula for sharing resources.
It is only the most cynical person that would claim that in that sense devolution has failed. In fact, we would go to the extent of saying it has been more of a success than failure.
Yet the country has been treated to appalling levels of insensitivity and gross incompetence of the type that came from Kericho County’s decision to create and advertise 30 personal assistant positions.
This only formalises the employment binge by ward representatives in this and other counties.
Ordinarily, one would expect the representatives, who reside in their wards, would see the scarcity of resources that abounds and refrain from such unnecessary trappings of power.
It cannot be argued that the PAs are a priority for Kericho and other counties.
With 60 per cent of the Kericho budget going to payment of wages and related recurrent expenditure, one would think the ward reps would concentrate on making the agriculture sector, which dominates in the county, more productive and consequently enrich farmers than engage in fanciful expenditure.
That brings us to the question of whether counties are consulting before engaging in profligate spending ranging from overpriced wheelbarrows to bankrolling circumcision. For the record, public consultation is mandatory under the Constitution.
We expect Kericho and other county governments to shun profligate spending and only engage in projects that uplift their people.
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