A: CRA’s mandate is to recommend a formula for the equitable sharing of nationally raised revenues between the national and county governments and among county governments; the recommendations are based on a statutory provision. It is the only constitutional commission that has a legal mandate to provide revenue sharing recommendations to parliament.
A: The commission’s principal mandate is to make recommendations on sharing of revenue collected nationally between the national and county governments. The commission is also required to make recommendations concerning financing and financial management by county governments. It is also required to make recommendations to Parliament on the appropriations of money from the Equalisation Fund.
A: This is a newly created constitutional commission that, like any other new initiative is likely to encounter a series of challenges. In any reform process there are losers and winners. The un certainties that comes alongside change attracts resistance and irresponsiveness. Losers try to obstruct change because they have genuine fear that reforms will destroy them. We expect that the new government will try to clean the laws to make them in tandem with the spirit of reforms as part of the genuine desire to bring effective reforms.
The Commission has so far received commendable support from the government, government agencies and other Commissions.
Ultimately, the success to the devolved system of government will depend on the collaborative team effort between:
- The relevant government departments,
- The various Commissions tasked with the implementation of the Constitution, and
- The Transitional Authority.
CRA anticipates that human resource capacity might be a challenge in the initial stages, but expects a quick pick by all counties.
The key issues that are outstanding in the preparation for arrival of county governments include:-
- Civil education
- Identification and training of key essential staff
- Locating appropriate office facilities
- Setting up an I.T based financial accounting system
- Recommendations on salary levels by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission
A: The Government will in future need to make major reductions in expenditure in order to save money for the devolved system of government. The savings will come from:
- Reduction of ministries from the current 42 to maximum of 22 set out in the new Constitution and generally maintains lean staffing structures to lower the wage bill.
- Reduction in salaries of elected and appointed public officers.
- Rationalisation of national institutions.
- Employing great measure of austerity in the expenditure of public money.
- Election and appointment of persons of high integrity will also mean reduced levels of corruption, which is known to cost Kenyan taxpayers lots of money.
A: The commission, working in collaboration with the relevant arms of government, other independent commissions, the Transitional Authority and other stakeholders will be working to ensure that county governments manage the allocated resources prudently. Civic education is necessary to ensure people understand what it involves to allocate resources equitably.
A: All efforts are being made to ensure that the constitution is implemented. A lot of work has gone into the implementation process in the last two years to prepare ground for county governments and to ensure that devolution becomes a reality. Bills have been enacted and we have had a series of and discussions and resolutions on revenue and county allocations.
A: Kenyans must know that the County Assemblies must elect women. Kenyans must elect up to 500 women at the county assemblies’ failure to which the nation will have to nominate up to 750 women in those local parliaments.
It would cost up to Shs. 4.013 billion per year if the gender rule is not met via elections. It will jump to Sh20 billion in the five years that cover 2013 to 2017. The cost will get higher if we decide to nominate women instead of electing them. Besides, nominating women means that we may end up with individuals who are not politicians, and thus, cannot effectively represent their people. It is important that Kenyans elect women leaders.