The Ministry of East Africa Community (EAC), Arid and Semi-Arid Lands and Regional Development, has embarked on a review of functions of six Regional Development Authorities, to align them with the 2010 Constitution.
This follows a Cabinet decision to assess and review the roles, impact and effectiveness of the agencies in light of devolution.
EAC Cabinet Secretary (CS), Penina Malonza, said the review targets to relook at the services being offered with a view of identifying those that can be transferred to the counties.
Malonza said the RDA’s were not being moved to county governments, adding that the Cabinet decision was meant to avoid duplication of functions.
“Since devolution started, in 2013, there are still functions we are looking at to see whether they fit in the National government or in the county governments,” she said.
Speaking during the commissioning of water projects at Oriwo Primary School in Homa Bay County and St. Peter’s Kogola Primary School in Nyakach, Kisumu County, Malonza said the move targets to strengthen operations of the six RDA’s to foster development in the regions.
The RDA’s which include Lake Basin Development Authority (LBDA), Tana and Athi Rivers Development Authority (TARDA), Kerio Valley Development Authority (KVDA), Ewaso Ng’iro North Development Authority (ENNDA) and Coast Development Authority, she said play a critical role in national development and would be supported to fulfill their mandate.
The two water projects done by the Lake Basin Development Authority (LBDA), she said, will collectively support over 11, 000 households, including learning institutions in the two counties.
“The communities here used to trek for long distances to search for water. These projects are indeed a great relief,” she said.
Her Ministry, she added, was working with the Ministry of Interior, to gazette more Arid and Semi – Arid areas, which have been on the waiting list for long to ensure they benefit from ongoing government programs.
By Chris Mahandara
