KAKAMEGA SHINES AT THE 4TH ANNUAL DEVOLUTION CONFERENCE
This year’s Devolution Conference is held in Nakuru County at the Kenya Wildlife Service Training Institute in Naivasha with the theme; “Devolution – Transforming Lives: Tell your story!”
On Monday, President Uhuru Kenyatta opened the conference with a call to Kenyans to support devolution by participating in developing our counties at the grassroots reinforcing that devolution is at the heart of his government. The President reminded all public servants to excercise integrity at all times in ensuring Kenyans receive timely quality services from both levels of government. Uhuru appreciated the milestones achieved across the country in the last four years of devolution through partnership of the National Government and County Governments and promised to work towards strengthing the ties for a united productive Kenya.
Earlier in the day, during the first session of the conference focusing on Promoting Economic Transformation through an Enabling Business Environment, chaired by Kakamega County Governor H.E Hon. Wycliffe Ambetsa Oparanya, it emerged clearly that county governments have made strides in attracting not only local but also international investors in Kenya.
In his address to the conference, Governor Oparanya enumerated achievements made by county governments in key sectors like education, health, transport and agriculture such as improved infrastructure, mechanization of agribusiness, youth empowerment, among others, which he attributed to good governance. Oparanya, who is also Chair, Finance and Economic Planning Committee, Council of Governors, called on the National Assembly and the Senate to legislate laws that will see an increase in the funding of county governments from the National kitty from the current 30% and enable counties to have direct engagements with donners to hasten healthy competition among the counties for a better Kenya.
The second day of the conference will see Kakamega Deputy Governor H.E Hon. Prof. Philip Kutima, mong other panelists, discuss the Potential and Opportunities in Natural Resource Management within the context of achieving sustainable development goals.
Kakamega County is among the exhibitors at the three day conference.