Outgoing Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Devolution, ASAL and Special Programmes Eugene Wamalwa, today, handed over Devolution docket to incoming CS, Charles Keter, formerly of Energy.
While Prof Margaret Kobia, CS, Public Service, Senior Citizens takes over the State Department of Arid and Semi-Arid Land (ASAL) and Special Programme, that have been added to her docket but previously was under the Ministry of Devolution. The ceremony took place at the National Treasury Building, Nairobi.
CS Wamalwa, thanked President Uhuru Kenyatta for honouring him to Head the Devolution docket for the last four years.
He further stated that Devolution and reforms under President Uhuru’s leadership has seen an end to the era of exclusion and marginalisation and ushered in a new turn to equalization and inclusivity period in the country, where no one or part of Kenya is left behind in National Development.
In attendance were the Ministry of Devolution Chief Administrative Secretaries (CAS’s), Gideon Munga’u and Abdul Bahari. Principal Secretaries (PS), Nelson Marwa, Julius Korir, Charles Sunkuli and Micah Powon among other top Government officials.
Wamalwa thanked the Council of Governors in particular Nanok, Oparanya and Wambora, for improving intergovernmental relations, during his tenure and urged the Council to continue with the spirit of consultation and collaboration of the two levels of Government.
The CS revealed that due to the ongoing drought that was declared a national disaster by President Uhuru Kenyatta, the National Treasury has approved a Budget of Sh2 million for relief food procurement by the Ministry, Sh450 million for Defence and Sh350 million to Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Sanitation among the prioritized 10 affected counties.
The Counties that benefited from the program; include Kilifi,Wajir, Marsabit, Turkana Baringo and Laikipia County where-by non-food items have been dispatched.
The Cabinet Secretary thanked the Sister Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Sanitation for trucking of clean water to all communities in the affected ASAL Counties to complement what the Counties and National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) are doing.
He said the Government has also approved the livestock off-taking programme which is spearheaded by Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) for the Kenya Meat Commission (KMC) facility.
Wamalwa at the same time hailed efforts by the European Union (EU) who through National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), have given support to a tune of Sh500 Million Water trucking and livestock feed, United Nation (UN) through Food Agriculture Organization (FAO) for releasing support of Sh380 Million in livestock feeds and borehole rehabilitation and expected Sh500 million fresh appeal funding.
By Widen Ratemo
