The Political Context of Financing Infrastructure Development in ...

The Political Context of Financing Infrastructure Development in Local Government
creation of new districts should strictly follow the legally provided criteria rather than political
impulse. The economically unviable ones, which look paternalistically for transfers from the
central government, should be amalgamated to form economically viable units, whose local
governments can finance infrastructure development and their councils exercise oversight
functions.
Although the creation of KCCA is a recent phenomenon and yet to be thoroughly assessed,
there is need for clear clarification whether the authority is a local government or not lest
there will be tension between the elected councillors and appointed officials of the authority.
This will affect the financing of infrastructure development and exercise of oversight functions
by the urban councils within the city. While the behaviour of the councillors in the authority
is typical of any other local council, the appointed officials particularly the Minister is above
the elected councils. This paper recommends that the councillors in the authority should be
the ones to hold appointed officials accountable while the legal powers of the Minister to veto
decisions of the authority should be expunged.
30
Economic Policy Research Centre - EPRC