Governor Muthomi says CoG being sidelined in agriculture matters decision making
By Tobby Otum
The Council of Governors has expressed great concern over the government’s move to develop a legislative and regulatory framework in the Agriculture ministry without involving county governments.
In a joint press statement Agriculture Committee, Council of Governors chairperson Muthomi Njuki cautioned the Senate will not consider any Bills concerning county governments developed without proper and meaningful consultation and involvement of County Governments.
Njuki said after exhaustive deliberations they have made several resolutions aimed at protecting devolution and that the Council of Governors and the Senate shall undertake a legal review of all laws in the agriculture sector to ensure conformity with the Constitution.
“We will initiate a legislative review within six months of all the laws in the sector enacted prior to the promulgation of the Constitution with a view to amend or repeal some of the laws that create National Government parastatals which are undertaking devolved functions,” he pointed out.
He was speaking during a media briefing at the end of a two-day consultative meeting of the senate standing committee on agriculture, livestock and fisheries at Whitesands beach hotel in Mombasa county.
The Agriculture Committee, Council of Governors chairperson said with excess food imports, and lack of data to support Agriculture since research in the agriculture sector is dead.
Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries chairman Njeru Ndwiga said the two-day meeting was a consultative meeting to deliberate on issues affecting the agriculture sector.
He insisted the meeting involved candid and objective discussions on challenges that have affected the sector since the onset of devolution.
They further accused the agriculture ministry of having deliberately fragmented the Cooperative Societies rather than taking an approach to strengthening them.
They said having inherited a sector that was ailing counties have continued to experience a myriad of challenges which include budgetary constraints.
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