Kajiado Senator Sen. Lenku Seki, is seeking a Statement from the Standing Committee on Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations, regarding the implementation of the second level of devolution through decentralization of services in urban areas.

The Senator has requested the Committee to give reasons for the lack of separation of duties and management differentiation between other County organs and Municipal jurisdiction as envisaged by Sections 48(2), 49, 104(3) and 111 of the County Governments Act; the Committee to Provide a countrywide report of the annual budgetary allocation to Municipalities since the inception of the entities in 2018, with specific reference to funds drawn from the National Government, bilateral linkages and County Governments, including all audited reports for the past four years of Municipal operationalization under the Urban Areas and Cities Act (UACA).

The Senator also requires the Committee to state the steps that have been taken by both levels of Government towards achieving the full implementation of Kenya Urban Support programs and Capacity enhancement from the State Department of Housing and Urban Development; the Committee to explain why Municipalities have not achieved financial autonomy as anticipated by Public Finance and Management Act (PFMA), despite the clarity offered by Article 184(1)(b) of the Constitution, Section 155 of the PFMA, Section 48(2) of the County Government Act, Section 149 of the PFMA, Section 12,14,20 and 21 of UACA.

In his Statement, the Committee should outline the interventions required to allow County Assemblies to appropriate resources to Urban Entities as distinct Vote Heads and disbursed through direct transfers to the Urban entities as well as other funds relating to the Kenya Urban support programs and related partnership.