[Source: People Daily, by Hillary Mageka]
President Uhuru Kenyatta and Opposition chief Raila Odinga could be forced to step in to unlock the deadlock over the disputed formula for sharing revenue among the 47 counties.
The Senate was yesterday compelled to adjourn a Special Sitting convened for the second time to vote for the formula that has divided the House down the middle.
It followed spirited resistance by senators whose counties were set to lose cash under the proposed arrangement.
A day-long informal gathering (Kamukunji) convened by Speaker Ken Lusaka to build consensus on proposals by the Committee on Finance and Budget ended in disarray after lawmakers whose counties were set to lose up to Sh17 billion stood their ground and vowed to reject the proposal in the House.
They got the support of at least five other senators, mainly from areas controlled by the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) as well as the Wiper Party, who argued that the formula was “about to split the country into two”.
“This formula was not going to pass and if it did, then this country was going to be divided into two and there would be no referendum,” Narok Senator Ledama ole Kina said.
“The proposed formula was not to pass by any chance, but if it was to be, there would be no country called Kenya,” Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua, whose county is set to lose up to Sh432 million asserted.
He added: “This formula is doing no favour to us other than further marginalising some forgotten counties since independence. Imagine a situation where you are giving additional funds to one county at the expense of another.
It is unacceptable. No county should lose any shilling, we will protect interests of all counties.”
Senators Boniface Kabaka (Machakos), Fatuma Dullo (Isiolo), Fred Outa (Kisumu) Mohamed Mahamud (Mandera), Mohamed Faki (Mombasa) and Steward Madzayo of Kilifi, also opposed the formula.
They said the proposed method was “divisive, unjust and unfair’ to marginalised and less populous counties.
But senators whose counties would obtain additional revenue, thanks to the formula, which lays emphasis on population as criteria for calculating allocation, held their ground in support.
[Full article: People Daily, by Hillary Mageka]
