Governors will benchmark and borrow largely on how devolution has successfully functioned in Nigeria.
The Deputy Chairperson of Council of Governors, Mwangi wa Iria said that in Nigeria, devolution has operated well for many years and Kenya could learn more from the west African country on how to perfect administration of devolved units.
Speaking when he welcomed a delegation of governors from Nigeria in Murang’a on Tuesday, Mwangi noted that devolution in the country has been facing challenges which could be ironed out by borrowing some aspects from Nigerian system of government.
County assemblies, he added will also benchmark from Nigeria on how to effectively legislate laws to support operations of county governments.
“In Kenya devolution is seven years old and for those years, we have experienced many challenges which we can benchmark from Nigeria on how they have run devolved units for many years,” he told a delegation of Nigerian government officials.
Mwangi who is also Murang’a governor said they would also partner with Nigerian government on various sectors of economy.
On agriculture, the governor said Nigerians could learn more from Kenya on dairy, tea, horticulture and coffee farming.
He noted that Kenya, which is a major producer of avocado, could get markets in Nigeria and also support the country to start producing avocadoes among other fruits.
The Nigerian delegation led by Executive Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong visited Murang’a county cooperative creameries to learn on milk processing.
The milk plant which was established by the county government and located at Maragua is a major investment the devolved administration has done.
Lalong on his part said his country has a lot to learn from Kenya especially on diversification of the economy.
Nigeria, he observed, mainly relies on oil saying the country can borrow from Kenya on how to invest in agriculture and tourism.
“We have come to Kenya to learn and see how the country has managed to prosper in some sectors like agriculture and tourism among others. Despite Nigeria having established federal government long time ago, the country can also learn from Kenya on aspects of democracy,” added the governor who is chairman of northern Nigeria states governors’ forum.
Lalong lauded Murang’a county government for largely investing in dairy farming saying the milk processing plant has created hundreds of jobs to young people.
“In Murang’a we have learnt on a programme dubbed one-home-one cow. This programme is a way of empowering local families to have an economic activity to support livelihood. We will think of adopting the programme in Nigeria,” he added.
Speaking at the same occasion, the Kericho governor, Paul Chepkwony said the Nigerian delegation would visit other counties to learn more on Kenyan devolution system.
“From Murang’a, the delegation will visit Nakuru, Kericho and Narok to learn more on tourism, agriculture among other economic sectors,” added Chepkwony.
By Bernard Munyao
