KILIFI, Kenya Sep 21 – Kilifi County is set to become the centre of devolved governance debate this week as the Senate moves its operations from Nairobi to Malindi for its fifth Senate Mashinani sitting.

📻 Breaking It Down

The historic session, which began Sunday, will be the first time Parliament holds a sitting in the Coast region, offering residents an opportunity to interact directly with senators and parliamentary committees on issues ranging from healthcare and land to water, infrastructure, tourism and the blue economy.

Kilifi also has a long political history associated with questions of representation, power and the relationship between communities and the central government.

It is the birthplace of anti-colonial resistance heroine Mekatilili wa Menza and was home to nationalist politician Ronald Ngala, whose KADU movement advocated a more decentralised political arrangement at independence.

📌 What You Need to Know

Today, Kilifi occupies an important position within the Senate itself. Kingi is the Speaker, while Madzayo is the Minority Leader and the elected senator for the county.

Senate committees will spend the week inspecting projects, questioning county and national government officials, examining audit findings, hearing petitions and meeting residents and stakeholders across the county.

Governor Gideon Mung’aro has welcomed the scrutiny, saying the county is ready to expose both its achievements and shortcomings to the senators.

“We are ready and eager to host the senators because the presence of the Senate in Kilifi offers us the opportunity to learn. We are open and ready to listen and be corrected if that will help deliver services to the people,” Mung’aro said.

He wants senators to visit county projects and offer advice on how they can be improved.

“Let them visit the projects we have implemented, offer advice on how best we can improve them to make our county the best,” he said.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya