On Thursday Governors under their Council of Governors chairman, Kakamega County Governor Wycliffe Oparanya announced that they will shutdown counties on September if the Division of Revenue bill impasse is not resolved.
Oparanya said the governors had taken the critical decision since all county governments could not carry out their operations effectively due to inadequate funds. He added that most counties were struggling to pay the salaries of their employees.
“Beyond September 16, 2019, if the matter is not resolved the county governments will have no option but to shut down all its operations,” Mr. Oparanya said.
However, what was meant as a threat to coerce the national government into allocating more funds for the counties went South after a section of social media users accused the governors of their insincerity and instead urging them to speed up their decision to shut down counties.
According to most of them, Governors’ calls for more funding were not genuine since most of the counties had over the last few years been returning unutilized funds to the National government.
Many urged the governors to first curb massive corruption cases being reported in most counties before championing for more funds.
“We used to survive without them anyway! Nothing to show for their existence!’Punguza mzigo in God’s way!” said one user Mwangi Wanjiku.
Here are the hilarious reactions from Kenyans online;
let them account of fund given them to them first,
— hasan (@smartguy786) August 29, 2019
Qs Jones Mutie Close down every thing, move out of the office, Uhuru take over every thing, and punguza mzigo kudos for quick implimentation .
Samuel Onchoke Go ahead and close them then give the electorate the humble time to recall and sack you. We’re tired of your theatrics as if you can account for all the money dispatched to counties. I totally support the President on his stance.
This stand off is bng caused by Raila push to expand executive to burden poor Kenyans more and make them slaves. The money is bng budget for referendum to change constitution.The reason every Kenyan to free ourselves. Bloated irrelevant seats in Parliament and senate curse to us
— Sharp Shooter (@SharpSh05380877) August 29, 2019
Peter Munyasya Let’s scrap county governments all over Kenya …. Wycliffe oparanya I fully support you …what gain do we have for the insane the Soo called county governments???? Which benefit do we get ….have they accounted for the last dispatch???? ..I say scrap them
Sam Okumu Counties are wasting so much money on salaries and unnecessary recurrent expenditures. Shut them down if the constitution provides for such an eventuality.
Mwangi Wa Kagori Shut them down. Do you think we really care anymore how many ppl are going hungry, how many businesses are hurting, do you even know the kind of debt kenyans are enduring coz of this bloated government?
Bikundo Mochache And suspend devolution for 50 years, it’s a haven of thievery.
Nicholas Thomas Mbona umepeleka mbali hipo, you could have said on Monday.the way elected leaders are drunk with power they can’t stay a day without reporting and now they have realized power without money is useless
