The sixth Devolution Conference in Kirinyaga County has spotlighted concerns over excessive allocation of devolved funds to recurrent expenses, with some counties dedicating over 80% of budgets to salaries.
Devolution Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa emphasized that this trend undermines the original intent of devolution, which aimed to empower local development rather than sustain high operational costs. 'A situation where very little goes toward development is a matter of great concern,' he stated.
Wamalwa also highlighted corruption as a critical threat, noting that misappropriated funds often exceed actual expenditures. 'We have devolved corruption. Unless we address this, devolution remains under threat,' he warned during a pre-conference summit at Sagana State Lodge.
The conference, scheduled for March 4-8, 2019, will focus on strategies to reduce reliance on national treasury support. Wamalwa called for counties to enhance revenue generation, citing a 2018 policy approved by the Cabinet and a pending legislative bill to strengthen local fiscal autonomy.
He encouraged adoption of technology, noting 14 counties have already digitized systems to improve revenue collection and management. 'Self-reliance through innovation is essential for sustainable devolution,' Wamalwa said.
