By Patricia Mollyne Mataga
The government has announced ongoing internal discussions on the possibility of merging some of the regulatory authorities and agencies into one.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi says efforts to merge the agencies are informed on the need to among others address overlapping roles for the agencies as well as reduce wastage.
Mudavadi noted that currently, 78 state corporations fall under the category of regulatory authorities and agencies.
He noted that there is a need for a proactive approach when addressing the matter and also taking a practical solution to streamline the sector.
“It is necessary to be blunt and address the elephant in the room; regulatory overlaps and duplication. This is a real problem for which we must find a solution,” the prime CS said.
Mudavadi who doubles up as the Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary further said the complications that different regulations at the county level and enterprises across Kenya face need to be confronted.
Operations of the said agencies usually come with different conditions, requirements, fees, charges, and levies.
“This may require tough decisions to be taken to give effect to the merging of certain regulators,” Mudavadi noted.
He spoke on Thursday, April 11, 2024, at the Kenya School of Government during a meeting with heads of regulatory authorities and agencies.
The meeting was convened by Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service Felix Koskei.
The move to streamline the agencies is also informed of the need to cut down on operational costs for the government.
“This financial strain can inadvertently lead regulatory bodies to prioritize revenue-generating activities over their primary mandate of regulatory oversight,” said Mudavadi.
“Instead of focusing on safeguarding citizens and ensuring effective sectoral regulation, they may become overly preoccupied with collecting licensing fees and income-earning projects such as real estate ventures,” he added.