Priority: HANDSHAKE COMMITTEE Must Return “Weakened BOMAS Draft” In Content And Direction

By Ogunyo Thiring’inyi

The Bomas document that was meant to raise the bar in the management of public affairs and resources and expansion of civil liberties was tampered with due to deep seated interests meant to retain the old status quo or reverse key gains achieved in democratization. Those who either opposed or watered down its content are the same ones opposed to the current initiative.

MPs deflated the pace of reform and implementation the 2010 document as was envisaged. Everything started at Naivasha;

— Committee of Experts (CoE) proposed 14 administrative units/Counties which could have been cheaper to manage. But PSC pushed for 47 Counties present today creating a rise in wage bill, a threat to the country’s microeconomic stability that has contributed to a rise in fiscal deficit, inflationary pressures and depreciation of currency. It has led to deterioration in public debt dynamics. Raila Amollo Odinga emphasized this at Kakamega Devolution Conference but DP Ruto opposed it without proper content. Pathetic!

— CoE mandated IEBC to decide the number of constituencies. But PSC insisted on 290 as the minimum.We ended up having a bloated parliament with joy-riders being paid millions for doing nothing. The position of Women Reps was another big joke draining tax revenues..it may have been created to make some “people” happy as it is.

— CoE created Senate Parliament as an Upper House with clear overall and superior mandates vis-à-vis the National Assembly. PSC watered it down that
Senate was rendered subordinate to National Assembly. This has allowed unconstitutional and mediocre Bills to be passed by MPs without provision for Senate veto. Governors and Civil Society once attempted to call for an early referendum to empower Senate which didn’t succeed…

NB: The handshake committee must give proposals to reverse these illegal changes so as to raise the level of managing public affairs and resources management and expansion of civil liberties in Kenya…
@Thiring’inyithesis

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