The 6th devolution conference seems to have created a good platform for most politicians if not all to air their views. Governors led by Led by Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o (Kisumu), Mutahi Kahiga (Nyeri), Josphat Nanok (Turkana), have asked the State to review economic policies to ensure negotiated donor projects, meant to transform counties are implemented as per the inked agreements. They regretted that bureaucracies and huge taxes imposed on donors interested in setting up ventures to boost manufacturing, one of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s four-pillar development agenda, were a hindrance.
The leaders who were speaking during the sixth Devolution Conference held at Kirinyaga University
Mohamed Kuti (Garissa) and Alfred Mutua (Machakos), the county bosses said taxation was an impediment to foreign investments. “We have been sourcing support from private sectors to develop our regions since 60-70 per cent of resources devolved to counties is consumed by staff salaries and personal emoluments but still the State deprives us the donor projects,” they said.
“It’s through massive investment on industries that will enhance growth and prosperity of the country economically but if Treasury goes on with the habit of imposing huge taxes on donors then we are doomed and our manufacturing agenda won’t be achieved,” said Nyong’o. Nanok said for industrialisation to succeed, lots of emphasis must be put on infrastructure. He appealed to the State to invest in water to save the arid regions.