Cherangany Member of Parliament Joshua Kutuny has defended his recent active involvement in Chama Cha Mashinani (CCM) activities saying it was within the post-election agreement entered between Jubilee and the Isaac Ruto led party.
Speaking after a daylong CCM party members meeting hosted at Ruto’s Tumoi home in Chepalungu constituency yesterday, Kutuny said the move should not be interpreted to mean he was warming up to join the party ahead of 2022.
“I know my presence today during a CCM party members meeting will raise questions but everyone knows that as Jubilee, we have a post-election agreement with CCM and we should work as partners,” he said.
Kutuny accompanied CCM Secretary General Zedekiah Bundotich to the meeting in Bomet, two weeks after meeting ODM leader Raila Odinga at his Capitol Hill offices in Nairobi.
The vocal Member of Parliament said there was need to engage all parties over ongoing debates on national issues and position the Kalenjin community to benefit from its outcome.
Citing the BBI process, Kutuny said he was joining hands with likeminded leaders in the region to be able to back it and bargain for issues that directly touched on the community and for the good of the country at large.
He said devolution should be given priority in planned referendum through the Building Bridges initiative and vowed to back the process for the benefit of the region.
He said the law should be changed to strengthen protection of public funds lost through theft as was being witnessed at the moment.
“Corruption cases at the counties is worrying and moving towards the constitutional changes, laws should be put in place protecting funds and harshly punishing those found stealing development money,” he said.
The MP also drummed up support for the country’s ministers to be picked from elected Members of Parliament.
The legislator also tore into senators over the raging stalemate in revenue sharing that has delayed disbursement of funds to the counties.
He said it was regrettable that selfish interests had taken the centre stage during the whole process.
Kutuny said some senators had politicized the process at the expense of counties and service delivery.
“It is sad that some senators have taken advantage to seek political mileage and oppose increase of funds to their counties,” he said.
Kutuny asked senators to move with speed and ensure the stalemate was resolved to ensure counties received their allocation before operations are brought to a halt.
Sharing his sentiments on BBI, Ruto said time was rife for an amendment to the Constitution to enhance representation.
Ruto said as CCM party, when the amendment of the Constitution through the BBI kicks off, they were going to push for the strengthening of devolution through increase in resource allocation.
“Resource allocation to the counties should be increased to up to 40 percent so that Kenyans in all corners of the country can be able to access services and development,” he opined.
Ruto said moving forward, the country should ensure its ministers are picked from the elected Members of Parliament.
“Those in Parliament are better placed in identifying the needs of Kenyans and should be picked as ministers for better service delivery,” he said.
By Joseph Obwocha
