Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi Speaking during the County Assemblies Forum held at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi. Photo Courtesy. 
By Andrew Mbuva.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has challenged Members of County Assemblies (MCAs) to firmly safeguard their constitutional mandate, warning them against allowing other institutions to take over their oversight and accountability roles within county governments.
Speaking during the County Assemblies Forum held at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi and attended by President William Ruto, Mudavadi said devolution had matured and it was time for MCAs to fully assert their authority.
He reminded the legislators that their core responsibilities include enacting county legislation, providing oversight over the county executive, and representing the interests of their constituents at the ward level.
“Do not allow your oversight and accountability role to be usurped by another institution. You are the ones who are supposed to oversight the County Governments. I don’t know if it is by design or whether you forgot, but it seems at times your role has been usurped,” Mudavadi cautioned.
The Prime Cabinet Secretary noted that as Minister for Local Government in the wake of the promulgation of the Constitution of Kenya, he played a central role in spearheading the initial legislation that operationalised devolution.
He emphasized that county assemblies are critical pillars in ensuring that devolution continues to thrive and deliver tangible benefits to citizens across the 47 devolved units.
“Being a leader of a county assembly is a very significant assignment in this Republic, and therefore institutions that buttress devolution must be given all the necessary support,” he said.
During the forum, Mudavadi also reignited debate on the possibility of holding a constitutional referendum alongside the August 2027 General Election. He argued that several persistent challenges facing counties and county assemblies could be resolved through constitutional amendments.
He reiterated his earlier proposal, first floated on December 26 last year, calling for a “constitutional moment” to address unresolved issues, including the proper anchoring of the Ward Fund and the Constituency Development Fund in the Constitution.
“One of the issues that needs to be resolved — and we have the capacity to do so — is to anchor the Ward Fund and the Constituency Development Fund properly in the Constitution. This will help end all these debates about whether they should exist or not,” Mudavadi said.
He disclosed that following a directive from President Ruto, he had engaged the County Assemblies Forum to listen to their concerns and proposals.
Among the issues raised by MCAs during the consultations were the need to anchor the County Assemblies Forum into law, enhance the financial autonomy of county assemblies, and address welfare concerns affecting MCAs. The Forum is chaired by Kwale County Assembly Speaker Seth Mwatela.
Mudavadi expressed confidence that with the President’s support, the challenges raised would be addressed, strengthening county assemblies and enabling them to effectively discharge their constitutional duties.
The remarks signal renewed focus on the future of devolution and could set the stage for an intensified national conversation on constitutional reforms ahead of the 2027 polls.
