Council of Governors (CoG) chairperson Ahmed Abdullahi has called for the inclusion of governors in pension schemes, arguing that many former county chiefs are struggling financially despite having held high office.
Speaking on Thursday during the Devolution Conference in Homa Bay, Abdullahi said it was unfair that Members of Parliament (MPs) and, soon, Members of County Assemblies (MCAs) enjoy pension benefits, while governors some of whom have served two terms—leave office with neither a pension nor medical cover.
“Yesterday we heard how there’s an impending law to give pension to MCAs. MPs have pension, why can’t governors have pension?” he asked. He further revealed that some former governors are in such dire financial straits that they cannot even afford the government’s Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF).
Abdullahi also criticised what he described as the selective targeting of governors in Kenya’s anti-corruption drive, warning that this narrative risks undermining devolution. While acknowledging corruption exists in counties, he said the perception that governors are the main culprits feeds into calls to weaken or dismantle devolved governance.
“To date, three governors have been impeached, two over corruption-related charges. Others have survived impeachment attempts or continue facing constant threats from county assemblies,” he said. “We feel the fight against corruption has unfairly targeted governors, calling devolution a bad name so that there’s reason to kill it.”
He noted the irony that many former governors now live modestly, contrary to past accusations that they amassed vast wealth in office. “We would actually want to be told how many of the choppers at Wilson Airport belong to governors or former governors,” he quipped.
In his opening remarks at the conference on Wednesday, President William Ruto reaffirmed his commitment to combating corruption, highlighting the signing of the Conflict of Interest Bill into law on July 30 as a step toward curbing abuse of office.
While welcoming such reforms, Abdullahi urged for a more balanced approach in the fight against graft and a fairer post-office welfare structure for county bosses. “All we are saying is let’s fight all corruption,” he said.
