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A delegation of Uganda Members of National Assembly has hailed the Makueni devolved system of governance saying it has led to effective delivery of services to the citizens.

Cecilia Ogwal, who led the delegation on a 3-day benchmarking tour to Makueni observed that though Uganda has a devolved system, the public participation is not functional and resources are not devolved.

“We have read about Makueni and its success stories and that is why we chose to come. However, in Uganda, we have a devolved system up to the districts level but participation of people is not functional, and also the resources are not devolved,” she said.

Governor Prof Kibwana said that it was an honour that the members of the Ugandan Parliament chose to bench mark in the county to learn noting that counties have been learning from each other to enrich their work.

Governor Kibwana further explained to the delegates who paid him a courtesy call in his office on Wednesday, that his government is keen in actualizing article 1 of the 2010 constitution of Kenya which resulted to the institution of the peoples’ government in the county.

The governor also observed that the sovereignty of the people in the county had worked through the public participation model but noted that sometimes it is resisted by leaders who feel threatened by empowered citizens, adding that it requires a lot of transparency.

He said: “Here in Makueni, we believe in actualizing the constitution and that is why we instituted the peoples’ government to implement Article 1 though sometimes it resisted by some leaders. Despite the challenges, it has worked.”

Ogwal noted that the benchmarking tour was aimed at comprehending the devolved system structures and functions before making concrete recommendations to the government of Uganda.

Governor Prof Kivutha Kibwana on Monday hosted top officials from Kenya Pipeline Company(KPC)  and Thange Farmers Association representatives to deliberate on the delayed compensation following oil spillage on River Thange in 2016.

The meeting came as  a response to a letter dated October 05, 2018  addressed to the KPC Chairman Mr John Ngumi by the Thange Farmers Association to look into the challenges delaying the compensation.

In the letter the group raised concerns about delayed compensations, lack of supply of potable water for domestic use and loss of land use since 2015 among other issues.

The Association chairman Mr Sammy Muindi referring to the letter said that there were still pending compensation cases three years after the oil spill adding that their agricultural means of livelihoods were cut short by the damaging spillage.

He said: “Three years after the oil spill we are yet to be fully compensated. KPC promised to supply clean water for domestic use but for a month now we have gone without clean drinking water. We stopped all our agricultural activities,the victims are facing a serious economic crisis.”

Governor Kibwana who chaired the meeting noted that the matter falls within the energy sector which  is not a devolved function making it difficult for the county to expressly take action.

The governor however said that they were offering support to the affected citizens of Thange and pleaded with all stakeholders to move with speed and bring the issue to rest once and for all.

“Energy  is a national function and we cannot go beyond our mandate as a county. We however are giving support to our Thange citizens. My plea to you is that we need to finalise this issue once and for all so that we can move on,” Prof Kibwana stated.

The governor  further said that the Thange oil spill should not be politicised.

Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Junior responding to the matter observed that all stakeholders involved in resolving the issues were performing poorly citing breakdown of communication as one of the major setbacks.

“We are all doing poorly in handling this matter while the people of Thange are suffering. What I see here is a breakdown of communication,” Mutula said.

He further urged for transparency in dealing with the issue.He called  for the reconstitution of the taskforce appointed to handle the spillage.

KPC Managing Director Joe Sang, in response to some of the issues raised by the Thange farmers said that they had used over Sh 31 million in Corporate Social Responsibility activities and over Sh 31 million to compensate 266 claimants.

Makueni Deputy Governor Adelina Mwau on Thursday  called for the involvement of all stakeholders in implementation of government projects.

Mwau said that the governor and herself were able to stand out in development because they have always involved the Makueni people through the public participation model in the county.

The DG raised concerns over the formation of a committee to oversee the construction of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET)  institution in Nunguni which she said was formed without the input of the local residents.

“I am surprised to hear there is already a committee formed to manage the proposed college when Kaiti people were not involved, ” the DG said.

She further explained that together with Governor Prof. Kivutha Kibwana they have been able to achieve a lot for the county because they avoided politics in development.

“Let us not bring politics into development matters otherwise governor Kibwana and I would not have come this far, ” Mwau advised.

She was addressing a meeting convened between the Kaiti  constituency leadership and Kilungu Elders group to streamline Kaiti development agenda.

The county government has already  allocated a five -acres plot of land  for the construction of the institution, request which was made by the elders

The Elders Group through their chairperson Mr Julius Kilonzo  appreciated the Deputy Governor for the allocation saying that the institution was going to help secure  the future of their youth.

” We are grateful for the plot of land because the future of our young people will be taken care  of when the institution will be established,” Mr Kilonzo said.