Saturday 8 March 2014

Ruto urges all Govt arms to work together

Deputy President William Ruto (centre) escorted by Bishop Mark Kariuki of Deliverance Church (left) and Bishop Paul Wanjohi of New Life Church, after the consecration ceremony of Bishop Paul at New Life Church in Nyeri town, Nyeri County Saturday

Deputy President William Ruto has urged all three arms of government to work together and eliminate confrontation and arguments that do not help in changing the lives of Kenyans.
Speaking on Saturday in Nyeri town, Mr Ruto urged all elected leaders to work for the people and eliminate all disagreements which are not healthy for the country.
“All of us have been elected by Kenyans whether as MCAs, MPs, Senators, Governors, President and I, those working in the Judiciary, those working in various commissions, all of us work for the people of Kenya and we must eliminate confrontations, arguments that don’t help in changing the lives of the people,” said Mr Ruto.
The DP was addressing a congregation at New Life Church during the ordination and consecration of a church bishop.
WAGE BILL
Mr Ruto said the government had on the need to develop the country with a ballooning wage bill threatening the country’s development.
He said public wages were guzzling the bulk of the budget resources, leaving a mere Sh200 billion a year to finance projects.
“We need a conversation in the country on how we are going to move into the future together. And that’s why the President and I and the government of Kenya we want to have a conversation as Kenyans,” said the DP.
He said only seven per cent of the country’s resources are available and that’s why there is need to think and make hard decisions if the country has to move forward.

“We are going to have that conversation on Monday so that we can agree on how to move forward,” said Mr Ruto.
He said plans had been set out to ensure all the planned projects are achieved.
RESPECT INSTITUTIONS
Senate Majority leader Professor Kithure Kindiki said as the Senate they respect all the institutions that have been set up in the country to make sure that Kenyans get development and services.
“We respect MCAs, MPs, Governors and other institutions,” he said.
He, however, stated that other institutions must also respect the Senate.
He said the Senate is the advocate for devolution process, and their business is to ensure that the counties get more resources.
Prof Kindiki said they are expecting more money in the next financial year to be channelled to counties for development purposes.
He warned those who would try to cut the resources to be allocated to counties.
“We will resist any attempt to make counties unable to deliver services, and we have no apology to make out of that,” said Prof Kindiki.
He warned governors of misuse of the funds stating that the Senate would be firm to ensure money channelled to the counties is used appropriately.
He insisted that all those governors who had been summoned by the Senate must appear before the Finance Committee of the House.
Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen said that as leaders, they must be responsible and accountable to their people. He said they would ensure that counties get more money for development.
Nyeri Governor Nderitu Gachagua defended the governors saying that the 47 governors were elected by people and are accountable to the electorates.
He said there is no governor who wanted to be exempted from the audit or oversight and the only requirement they were asking was that they be subjected to a fair process.
“You do not accuse somebody of corruption yet you do not take him through the court system to establish whether he is guilty or otherwise. You do not sit in a room and hung someone. Every Kenyan is entitled to a court process, protection of the law and this is what we are saying as governors,” said Mr Gachagua.
He said if there is any mismanagement of resources, as governors they are ready to answer but governors should be treated like any other elected leaders.
Nyeri County MPs led by Nyeri town MP Esther Murugi said there must be accountability and they would want to see governors working.
The MPs pledged to take a pay cut as their contribution to the reduction of the public wage bill.

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