Nairobi’s BBI public participation to be held today at City Hall

 

Nairobi residents will today have a chance to air their views on the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill 2020.

MCAs will today hold public participation at Charter Hall from 10.30 am where the city residents will be able to give their views on the Building Bridges Initiative.

 “Pursuant to the provisions of Article 196 (b) of the Constitution of Kenya and Standing Order 131(3) which require public participation in the legislative and other business of the Assembly and its committees. The committee hereby invited residents of Nairobi City County to submit any representations that they may have on the Bill by way of written memoranda,” read a public notice

Majority Leader Abdi Hassan Guyo tabled the bill last week on Tuesday and it was committed to the Sectoral Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs for consideration and reporting.

During the public forum, Covid-19 guidelines by the Ministry of Health will be adhered to with restricted admission into the Hall on a first-come-first-serve basis.

It is expected that the bill will be debated on Thursday for the assembly to either reject or approve.

As of Tuesday, six counties had so far passed the Bill; West Pokot, Trans Nzoia, Busia, Siaya, Kisumu and Homa Bay.

Only Baringo County has so far rejected the Bill during a chaotic session witnessed last week.

Twenty-four out of 47 counties are required to pass the Bill.

With the proposed Ward Development Fund in the BBI bill, each of the 85 elected city MCAs would control upwards of Sh20 million.

It has proposed that at least five per cent of the county government’s revenue—both allocated by the national government and collected by the county—be channelled to the proposed Ward Development Fund. 

The money will only be meant for development expenditure. 

In the city, most ward-based programmes were moved to the Public Works under the Nairobi Metropolitan Services.

Since 2013 when devolution came into effect, Nairobi has been having the highest revenue collection and allocation, putting it at a vantage point from which to fast-track development projects.

More funding means that back in the wards, projects will be completed, including those that have stalled.

In the current financial year, the county budget of Sh37.5 billion had proposed the allocation of Sh1.9 billion towards the WDF.

This means each of the 85 wards would get at least Sh21.1 million.

Majority leader Abdi Hassan Guyo noted that the criteria for disbursement to each ward, public participation and identification of the development projects by residents will ensure wards are developed regardless of the political affiliation of their MCAs.

“By this, power will be given to residents back in the ward to identify projects they want to be implemented. This will ensure development in the ward will not be at the mercy of the governor as funds for the projects will be made available to the MCA regardless of whether they are in a governor's good books,” he said.

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