Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen on Saturday, December 21, cried foul over what he called the government's concerted effort to kill devolution.
In a video seen by Kenyans.co.ke, the Elgeyo Marakwet senator cast aspersions on the state of devolution and stated that the recent onslaught on governors was reminiscent of Mzee Jomo Kenyatta's orders in 1963 that led to the end of regional governments.
He claimed that the war against corruption which is spearheaded by President Uhuru Kenyatta and had claimed a few governors was a plot to strangle devolution.
"In 1963, we had a powerful devolution with a regional government, but slowly by slowly, using the same methods we are seeing today, they were bastardized and lectured the way Matiang'i lectured governors about county bills," he spoke.
He alleged that the arrest of governors over suspicions of corruption was not a clear effort to wage war against graft, but the government's means to use the DCI and EACC to hide their intent to run devolution to the ground.
"Three governors are being told not to go to their office right now. One governor informed me that they are cowering in fear right now. If they do not breath BBI or the handshake, they are taken to the court and stripped of their powers and told to wait for their cases to be concluded in 2027," he alleged.
Murkomen claimed that the counties had become powerful in their demands for accountability from the national government, forcing it to look for a way to keep devolved units on a leash.
"You might not like your governor and even think of him as a thief, but I tell you, the fight is bigger than your governor. The fight is about the county governments trying to hold the national government responsible, and now that fight has been brought to undermine devolution," he stated.
Murkomen also defended his decision to represent Sonko in court after he was arraigned over corruption allegations, stating that he was playing his role as a senator.
"The first responsibility of the senate is not oversight. It is to protect the county governments. I can tell you, I am no longer a small person. I was a lecturer at the university and wrote a lot on devolution. I understand devolution like the palm of my hand, and I can tell you that it is under threat," he warned.
Murkomen also accused the Council of Governors' head Wycliffe Oparanya of being powerless and silent at a time when the governors, who are the heads of counties, were at the behest of county commissioners who dictate laws on how the counties are run.
Murkomen warned that the governments' means of fighting corruption would lead to the end of devolution in less than three years if the necessary action was not undertaken by Senators to stand firm the 'onslaught' by the government.
