- Counties with large swathes of land but lower populations stand to lose up to Sh17 billion.
- Those with larger populations, and more developed, stand to gain more money.
Ukambani senators have said they will not change their position on the proposed counties' revenue sharing formula.
Kitui's Enock Wambua, Makueni's Mutula Kilonzo Jr and Boniface Kabaka of Machakos said the new formula will further disenfranchise and marginalise Lower Eastern.
The three addressed the press at ABC Bomani Church in Machakos town on Sunday.
Counties with large swathes of land but lower populations could lose up to Sh17 billion if the formula proposed by the Finance and Budget Committee is adopted.
They have been traditionally marginalised and are underdeveloped. Those with larger populations, and more developed, stand to gain more money. The Ukambani counties will be among the losers.
Senators from the populous counties have coined the phrase 'one man one vote one shilling' to root for the proposed formula.
The Senate has failed to agree on the third generation formula.
The Ukambani senators said the plot to take away money from some counties amounts to killing devolution.
“If we begin to deny certain counties money [while] others gain, there can be no better way of killing devolution,” Wambua said.
They promised to defy party positions on the formula.
Kilonzo, whose county stands to lose Sh500 million, said senators want to ensure counties get the same allocation as the previous financial year.
“We seek to retain the shareable revenue as it is since the revenue is the same at Sh316.5 billion,” he said.
"They are using a formula of square root [which] is not applicable at all since the areas are not circular. It's targeting to steal from Kenyans."
Elgeyo-Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen, whose county gains Sh330 million, has called for a speedy resolution to the impasse.
Last week, senators Wambua (Kitui), Fatuma Dullo (Isiolo), Mohamed Mahamud (Mandera), Mohamed Faki (Mombasa) and Stewart Madzayo (Kilifi) said the proposed method was “divisive, unjust and unfair” to the already marginalised and less populous counties.
Senators from areas that benefit have accused their counterparts of “punishing them for being populous”.
Edited by Josephine M. Mayuya