Despite saying that Ksh.10B in El Nino funds had been sent to counties, Gachagua now claims that “money is not coming.”
Regarding his announcement that the national government had given counties Ksh. 10 billion to lessen the consequences of the recent El Nino rains, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has now modified his position.
Gachagua said that the state has given county administrations the money they needed to assist flood victims while giving relief meals to flood-affected households in Mombasa on Tuesday.
He attacked Governor Abdulswamad Nassir of Mombasa, saying that despite the backing of the national government, he was not doing enough to assist people impacted by the recent floods in the coastal county.
“No governor should be pointing the finger at the federal government for failing to provide food. You have money too, being the governor,” Gachagua said.
The Democratic Party (DP) praised Mandera, Wajir, and Garissa counties for allocating funding to assist impacted individuals, and invited Nassir to follow like in Mombasa.
Gachagua’s allegation that the government had provided the aforementioned sums was subsequently refuted by Governor Nassir and his Siaya colleague James Orengo.
The DP was tasked with providing evidence.
A day later, Gachagua has reversed course and said that the counties should utilise the money in their budgets to lessen the impacts of El Nino, while also stating that no money would be sent to the counties by the national government.
Gachagua said that county coordination teams, development partners, and humanitarian organisations would be the channels by which the national government’s monies are distributed as he was meeting with them at his Karen home.
“Therefore, we are a little taken aback when we hear governors lament that the federal government has not yet given them funding for El Nino. This kind of money is not readily available.
According to Gachagua, “They are expected to re-allocate funds within their budget and use emergency funds within their financial provision to act on behalf of the people they govern.”
The counties of Busia, Mandera, Wajir, Kwale, and Marsabit, he said, are completing the work being done by the federal government and aid organisations, so those who are complaining should take a cue from them.
“We released Ksh2.4 billion as an initial injection into the effort last week as a national government, and we will continue to inject more as we proceed on,” Gachagua said.
In response to the statements, the Council of Governors said that counties had not received any funding from the federal government.
“We maintain that statements of this nature are inimical to the cooperative and collaborative nature of governments as defined by Article 6(2) of the Constitution,” the COG said in response to Gachagua’s remarks.