Mbadi
Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi now says Kenya should go back to having 8 provinces or a maximum of 14.
Speaking on Wednesday night, Mbadi said the 47 counties are too many and are unsustainable for the government due to their high wage bill.
“You go to counties and you will find all kinds of staff, you find directors of fishermen, boda bodas, music, culture directors earning big salaries, with deputies, we have so many people. Again, that is notwithstanding the fact that 47 counties are just too much for a country,” said Mbadi.
The Treasury CS pointed out that in the 47 counties, there is a governor with a deputy who is the running mate, ministers, chief officers, and the county assemblies.
Mbadi argued that eight provinces prior to the formation of the 2010 constitution would be useful to address the current financial crisis affecting the country and also to ensure that resources trickle down to the grassroots.
“I would go for a maximum of 14 but even 8 would still serve us perfectly well, with devolution of resources going to the grassroots. We can devolve resources without devolving the heavy government to the grassroots. It is unsustainable,” Mabdi stated.
He noted that the National Government is spending Ksh.80 billion monthly salaries and up to Ksh 960 billion per year yet it is collecting Ksh.2.5 trillion and we spending about Ksh.1.1 trillion on loan repayment.
“We have so many MCAs, and Kenyans have elected very few women, and we have also given ourselves a constitution where we say no less than two-thirds should be of the same sex… so now we end up nominating so many people,” Mbadi added.
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