Senators have criticized the intergovernmental relations technical committee for its inability to facilitate the timely transfer of devolved assets to county governments, calling the committee "toothless."

With billions of shillings worth of assets still held by the national government, the senators have vowed to take matters into their own hands by directly engaging the national government to speed up the transfer process.

County governors have long voiced concerns over the delay in receiving crucial assets, which have been tied up since the passage of the 2010 Constitution.

Despite the committee's efforts, the transfer of fixed assets tied to the devolved functions of local authorities remains pending, causing increasing frustration among governors.

Godfrey Osotsi, the chairperson of the Senate County Public Investments and Special Funds Committee, expressed his dissatisfaction with the committee's progress.

He pointed out that while some old or condemned movable assets like motorcycles had been transferred, more valuable assets remained with the national government.

Osotsi also noted that the lack of a maintained fixed assets register in the counties had drawn criticism from Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu.

In light of the ongoing delays, Osotsi has called on governors to explore alternative avenues, such as engaging with the Senate or the Intergovernmental Budget and Economic Council, to ensure that the national government transfers the assets for devolved functions.

The senator further criticized the committee, stating that it had not fulfilled its mandate, and emphasized the need for governors to take stronger action.

"We are concerned about the intergovernmental relations technical committee on the transfer of assets. The commission is proving to be toothless on this matter. As the Council of Governors, you need to look for another way of dealing with this matter," said Osotsi.

Elgeyo-Marakwet Senator William Kisang echoed Osotsi's concerns and suggested that the Senate should draft a resolution giving the National Treasury a set timeline to complete the asset transfers.

"We need to come up with a motion to give the National Treasury a period of time to transfer the assets it is holding because this will continue to be an audit query for eternity," Kisang said. He proposed that the National Treasury be given six months to finalize the transfer of the remaining assets.

Last year, former Devolution Principal Secretary Teresia Mbaika announced that the intergovernmental relations technical committee had transferred movable assets worth Sh3 billion to county governments.

These assets, which included motor vehicles and equipment, had previously belonged to the defunct local authorities.

The transfer process, which covered over 8,000 movable assets across all 47 counties, was completed by August 2023.

However, the valuation and transfer of fixed assets, including land and buildings, remain unfinished, with plans for completion still in progress.