Elgeyo Marakwet county leaders have opposed the move to degazette the county as a hardship area which will see civil servants and teachers in the area lose their hardship allowance.
The county women’s rep, Caroline Ngelechei, said she has been fighting to have the county included among the arid and semi-arid lands (ASAL), given that 60% of its land area has harsh climatic conditions.
“Even before this could go through, I was surprised to hear that the county is being degazetted from being a hardship area,” she said.
She said she has drafted a petition which she will table in parliament to ensure that the county continues to be a hardship area.
Addressing the same issue, Marakwet West MP Timothy Kipchumba said the move if effected will affect the development of the county saying many teachers and other public servants will start seeking transfers to move away from the area.
“The hardship allowance has ensured that public officers and teachers from other parts of the country posted in the county and especially in far-flung areas like Tot among others continue working in those areas despite the harsh environmental conditions they face as they serve the public,” he said.
The legislators questioned what informed the decision adding that they will be demanding a clear legal framework that was used to degazette the county as a hardship area.
The legislators were speaking after conducting the NG-CDF public participation exercise where residents fully supported its entrenchment in the constitution saying many areas have benefitted from the funds especially issuance of bursaries and construction of schools and offices.
They added that the fund enables them to have a say on how the monies are used in addition to ensuring that the funds are felt even at the grassroots level.
By Alice Wanjiru
