'I don't care if it makes me unpopular': Raila pushes for review of Devolution

Speaking during the commemoration of the promulgation of the 2010 Constitution on Katiba Day at KICC, Raila explained that the current provincial administration should be removed to make room for modern systems. 

He questioned why Kenya has 47 devolved units, while a continent like the United States has 52, including federal districts and territories. 

Alluding to this, he proposed a three-tier system that would comprise: county, regional and national governments to enhance development. 

"I believe the time has come to re-examine the entire model of devolution. For instance, Nigeria, with over 200 million people, has fewer states compared to the number of counties we have," he stated. 

"I am not proposing the abolition of any county, but I believe the provincial administration is a colonial relic that should be done away with."

Further, he sustained his push to have Members of Parliament surrender the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF) to the counties, citing that the lawmakers' role should primarily be representation, legislation and oversight. 

"We are not supposed to be funding projects through NG-CDF when we already have two levels of government: national and county. Parliament should focus on doing what it is constitutionally mandated to do, particularly oversight. If you are both an MP and a contractor, then who is truly carrying out the oversight role?” he posed. 

Raila noted that such reforms would be subjected to a national referendum before being implemented. He acknowledged that his clarion call has become 'unpopular', citing that he was willing to pay the price. 

"Over this, there's no compromise, tunaenda kwa wananchi. I know this stand is making me very unpopular, I don't care, I'll stand my ground on this particular issue," Raila noted. 

In addition, the ODM leader called out institutions such as the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission(IEBC), National Police Service (NPS) and Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) for failing to meet Kenyans' expectations on service delivery. 

He warned that urgent reforms should be done to restore public trust in the said institutions. 

On the NPS agenda, he strongly criticised human rights abuse by the police and cited that reforms would be key in eliminating the vice. 

"Some of these institutions in the 2010 Constitution have let the country down in my estimation. The NPS has left us worse off than we were in 2010. Abuse of the right to life, degradation of human dignity, torture and denial of security persons by the police have increased under the watch of NPS."

He also noted that the integrity in past elections has remained low due to a lack of confidence in the IEBC. 

Raila, who has previously cast doubt on the credibility of the electoral process following his five unsuccessful presidential bids, urged the newly appointed commissioners to carry out their mandate with dignity and integrity.

"The IEBC equally stands out as an institution that has made no progress in securing what Kenyans sought. The same issues that Kenyans pressed in 1992 when it held its first multiparty elections still haunt us," he highlighted. 

"I hope that the new commission will make a difference."