Raila’s push to scrap NG-CDF timely, but a three-tier govt risks stability
By Aloys Michael, August 28, 2025ODM leader Raila Odinga has recently intensified his calls for the scrapping of the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF), arguing that Members of Parliament (MPs) should stick to their core mandate of legislation, representation, and oversight.
This position, though controversial among legislators who view the fund as essential to grassroots development, is a timely and necessary debate in Kenya’s democratic journey.
The NG-CDF, initially established with good intentions, has over time become a tool for political patronage, mismanagement, and blurred lines of accountability.
MPs often act both as lawmakers and quasi-executives in their constituencies, implementing projects and controlling public funds, tasks that are better suited to county governments or other devolved entities. This dual role weakens oversight and opens the door to conflict of interest, corruption, and politicisation of development.
Raila’s argument that MPs should focus on their traditional roles is constitutionally sound and in line with best governance practices. The separation of powers is not just a theoretical principle; it is a practical safeguard. When lawmakers are involved in implementing projects, they can hardly hold the implementers accountable.
Reining in this conflict would enhance institutional integrity and strengthen our democratic institutions.
Three-structure government?
However, while Raila is right to demand that MPs relinquish development funds, his renewed push for a three-tier system of government is deeply problematic. The idea of creating an additional regional level of government, beyond the current national and county levels, reintroduces the same dangers the 2010 Constitution sought to eliminate: bloated bureaucracy, unsustainable public spending, and the risk of elite power-sharing arrangements that bypass the electorate.
Creating more political seats under the guise of “inclusivity” is not what Kenya needs. It is a costly distraction at a time when the economy is burdened with debt, high unemployment, and runaway inflation. Adding another tier of government means more administrators, all of whom will demand salaries, allowances, and perks at the taxpayers’ expense.
Instead of layering more government structures, Kenya needs to deepen and refine devolution. The current 47 counties already provide a localised mechanism for service delivery and representation. What is lacking is not more seats but more accountability, efficiency, and transparency in how counties are run. Weak oversight, politicised appointments, and poor fiscal discipline have crippled many devolved units. Strengthening devolution does not require a third tier; it requires political will, civic awareness, and robust systems.
More fundamentally, what Kenya needs is a shift in the political culture. The problem is not structure but leadership. A well-run two-tier system can deliver development and inclusion just as effectively as any complex model, provided it is anchored in integrity and responsibility. Good leadership, not an expanded political class, is the answer to Kenya’s governance problems.
It is also time to tame the politics that prioritise self-interest over the national good. The obsession with positions and power-sharing deals diverts attention from real issues: job creation, healthcare, education, food security, and climate resilience. Leaders must stop using constitutional amendments and restructuring proposals as tools for political negotiation and instead focus on genuine reform that benefits citizens.
Odinga’s stature in Kenyan politics gives weight to the debates he initiates. Scrapping NG-CDF and redefining the role of MPs is a conversation worth having. But his push for a three-tier government is misguided and risks opening a Pandora’s box of ethnic and political divisions.
Kenyans deserve better. The country needs fewer politicians and more accountability, not more seats and deeper bureaucracy. Let us focus on what truly matters: quality leadership, effective institutions, and politics rooted in service, not survival.