Raila Wants NG-CDF Handled at County Government Levels

By Mwakwaya Raymond

Former prime minister Raila Odinga has reiterated that members of Parliament (MPs) to stick to their mandate of oversighting the national and county governments instead of engaging in developmental activities.

The constitution, according to Raila, is very clear on the mandate of MPs no matter how much they would want to continue managing the national government constituency development fund (NG-CDF) contrary to the constitution.

Mr Raila, speaking at the 42 Institute of certified public accountants of Kenya (ICPAK) conference in Mombasa County on May 20, 2025, called on MPs to immediately surrender the kit to county governments for its management as envisaged by the constitution.

He told the legislators the fund could only remain under their jurisdictions if the NG-CDF was amended through a referendum.

“It is a mistake to have MPs as implementers while they should oversight and legislate! It’s wrong and it should stop forthwith,” he said.

He asked the government not to overtax Kenyans, but instead seal corruption loopholes being witnessed in different public departments and government agencies.

According to him 2.5 percent of NG-CDF budget in the national budget is a lot of money if channelled to the counties it can do a lot of grassroots development.

The ODM leader proposed that monies in the road development levy must be channeled to counties to help with the construction of urban roads.

“There is no way to have Kenya Rural Urban roads authority (KURA) manage roads that should be managed by the county government, people are making noise to the governors to develop roads, but they can’t do anything cause they have no kit,” he said.

Odinga’s sentiments did not go well with the National Assembly (NA) budget and appropriation chair Kiman Kuria who differed with the proposal alluding to the poor public resources usage and managing of budgets at County levels.

“In terms of the legal architecture of NG-CDF law of 2015, MPs are not the implementers, but patrons. There is a law that guides on its implementation,” he said.

The NA budget chairperson also defended Kenya’s borrowing spree stating that the Kenya Kwanza administration had so far acquired debt stability.

“The debt status in Kenya is manageable. Debt must be purposeful and sustainable,” he said in relation to the ballooning public debt crisis.

The Molo MP asked accountants to stick to financial management policies to stem out corruption and financial malpractices within their jurisdictions.

ICPAK chairman CPA Philip Kakai raised issues on the rising public debts and wake of inflation in the country.

“It’s over public concern that the public debt ceiling is rising,pushing the inflation of common goods.”

He said ICPAK would continue to be in the forefront pushing for the highest standards of financial integrity and professionalism within the accounting sector.

“Corruption is not just theft, it’s an economic sabotage. It keeps the cost of living equally high. As accountants, we should stand up to detect and report financial malpractices. We must tighten the grip on corruption,” he added.

“The time has come to go beyond spreadsheets and impact a change in different spheres.”

The theme of this year’s conference is “Beyond professional accountants in all spheres of the economy,”.

Mr Odinga asked Kenyans to give his ODM party’s experts in the broadbased government time to deliver desirable changes in the economy of 2025-26 fiscal year.

He stated that the next budget estimates under stewardship of treasury cabinet secretary John Badi would capture the economic desires of all Kenyans.

He maintained his party only donated experts to Ruto administration, but not part of his government.

The party boss expressed confidence with the team he had donated saying they were capable of revolutionalising the economy within their jurisdictions.

“ODM is not in government, but just donated experts to the government. Give them time to show you what ODM can do to the government.”

The party has donated treasury CS John Badi, Mining CS Hassan Joho, Cooperative CS Wycliffe Oparanya and energy and petroleum CS Opiyo Wandayi to the KKA regime.

“Increasing taxes does not help, but dealing with finance leakages and corruption Kenyans can get value for their monies,” he said.

According to him fighting corruption is a collective responsibility and therefore the government should tame it from the root cause.