CORD Governors-Elect Urged to Protect Devolution Gains

Prime Minister Raila Odinga has urged Governors elect under the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) to protect the gains the country had realized to fully operationalize the devolved structures of governance.

He told the leaders to strengthen the devolved units in their respective counties to ensure that the reforms were not reverse.

Odinga expressed fears that forces bent on retention o status quo were resistant to the changes and asked the leaders to remain firm in laying grounds for the structures.

" You must remain firm and pull in the same direction across the political divide without compromising the ideals o the coalition in making the devolved systems functional" he said.

The Premier made the remarks last night when he hosted Governors elect under the CORD for a consultative dinner party at a Nairobi hotel.

He cautioned the leaders to be wary of the anti reform forces saying they were determined to cancel the gains the nation struggled to attain over the years.

"These forces are relentless and will stop at nothing to ensure that the devolved government was weakened and subservient to the national government" Odinga said.

He said the passing of the National Government Coordination Act posed a challenge to the county system arguing that the new legislation was enacted in bad faith to undermines the devolved system.

The Premier insists that the two levels of government were meant to compliment each other but remain distinct but the new act appears to extent the authority of the central government in the county structures.

" This act is meant to silently entrench the county commissioners in the new order and the inclusion is suspect because it undermines the authority of the county government" he said.

Odinga however promised the governors that coalition will remain focused on the reform agenda and promised to support the county leaders overcome emerging challenges as the country transits to a new dispensation.

At least 10 governors elect and their deputies including Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero attended the party.

Also present were Senators' elect James Orengo, Anyang Nyongo, Johnston Muthama and several Members of the National Assembly.

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