Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris has welcomed President William Ruto's assent to the Division of Revenue Bill, 2026, describing the move as a significant boost to devolution and county development.
In a statement on Monday, Passaris said the legislation, which increases allocations to county governments, reinforces the constitutional principles of devolution and strengthens service delivery at the grassroots level.
"As we celebrate this milestone for devolution, it is also important to reflect on the need to strengthen the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF), which directly supports women, youth, persons with disabilities, the elderly and other vulnerable groups in our communities," she said.
The lawmaker argued that while county governments have multiple avenues for raising and managing resources, Women Representatives largely depend on NGAAF to implement targeted programmes aimed at addressing the needs of marginalized populations.
Passaris noted that despite the growing demand for affirmative action interventions, resources available through the fund remain limited compared to the scale of challenges facing vulnerable groups across counties.
She called for increased funding to the programme, saying the Office of the Woman Representative was established to advance inclusion and bridge representation gaps, and should therefore be adequately facilitated to deliver meaningful impact.
According to the MP, strengthening NGAAF would expand support for disadvantaged groups while enhancing the effectiveness of development programmes championed by Women Representatives across the country.
Her remarks come amid ongoing debate over the sharing of national revenue between the national and county governments, with leaders pushing for greater resources to devolved units while seeking additional funding for programmes targeting vulnerable members of society. Passaris maintained that an inclusive development agenda requires all institutions tasked with uplifting marginalized communities to be sufficiently resourced.
