Rank: Veteran Joined: 10/17/2008 Posts: 1,234
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Kusadikika wrote:Ever resourceful Wazuarians how exactly will this New Constitutional dispensation unfold. Anyone please feel free to answer these questions. Please excuse me if some questions sound stupid or too basic, I am trying to get as detailed a picture as I can. You can explain any one part of the Constitution that you thoroughly understand and when more people explain another and another we will all be the wiser.
When does the new Constitution take effect?
Upon promulgation by the President - 14 days from the gazettement of official results, unless there is court challenge, in which case maximum of 28 days.
Are we going to have Parliamentary, Presidential and County elections in 2012?
Yes
When does Provincial Administration come to an end?
Within 5 of the promulgation of the new Constitution it should have been integrated into the devolved system of governance.
What happens to Provincial administration after the creation and full functioning of counties? Do the DCs, DOs and Chiefs get reassigned to other County jobs or do they keep the same but now only report to the governor?
See above
Will Counties have their own assemblies / mini parliaments?
Yes - the executive committees of the Counties.
What happens to Local Governments (Municipal and Town Councils)? Will they continue to exist alongside counties or will they be absorbed into one? At the same time what happens to councilors? Will we continue to have them?
New Constitution not clear on this.
What exactly in the new constitution will get devolved? Will the police be regional or national? Will doctors be hired by the Ministry of health and posted to Conties or will they be hired at county level? Will teachers be hired by TSC or will there be a TSC for every county?
This will need to be addressed in the legislation to be enacted governing Counties.
Who will collect taxes? Will KRA collect all taxes just as it does and then distribute the same to the counties or will there be mini KRAs for each county? Where will the income of some major contributors go? For example: When Mumias sugar pays taxes how much of it will belong to Mumias (or whatever county it is in) County? How much of EABLs taxes go to National and County Governments? What about the port of Mombasa? How much of its revenue belongs to the county?
See Article 209 209. (1) Only the national government may impose — (a) income tax; (b) value-added tax; (c) customs duties and other duties on import and export goods; and (d) excise tax. 135 (2) An Act of Parliament may authorise the national government to impose any other tax or duty, except a tax specified in clause (3) (a) or (b). (3) A county may impose— (a) property rates; (b) entertainment taxes; and (c) any other tax that it is authorised to impose by an Act of Parliament. (4) The national and county governments may impose charges for services. (5) The taxation and other revenue-raising powers of a county shall not be exercised in a way that prejudices national economic policies, economic activities across county boundaries or the national mobility of goods, services, capital or labour.
How attractive will County politics be? Are we likely to see politicians retreating from National politics to play County politics? Will it be more lucrative to be a governor or MP?
A lot will depend on the legislation to be enacted as regards the functioning of Counties.
My understanding of CDF is this (Someone please correct me if I am wrong). Money is allocated from the National kitty to the constituency. The MP organises a committee that decides on how to spend the money in the constituency. In the new Constitution the percentage is greater for Counties (15%) but instead of going to Constituencies the money will go to Counties. Is this correct? So will it be the end of CDFs or will we continue to have CDF alongside Counties?
CDF stays unless the CDF Act is repealed which would be the prudent thing to do.
Will KWS continue to exist? What happens to regional tourist attractions; Will Lake Nakuru National park belong to KWS or Nakuru County? KWS is created by statute and its assets specified therein - so those assets will continue being KWS's unless the KWS Act is repealed or amended.
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