• They want allocations under the Equalisation Fund to be increased to help marginalised counties develop quickly.
• Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago, who is also chairman of the North Rift Economic Bloc, said governors support the latest CRA formula on revenue sharing because it had gone through wide consultation.
Some governors and county assemblies in the North Rift have insisted distribution of resources must be based on population to ensure equity in development.
However, they want the allocations under the Equalisation Fund to be increased to help marginalised counties develop quickly.
Governor Jackson Mandago of Uasin Gishu, who is also chairman of the North Rift Economic Bloc, said on Tuesday they fully support the latest CRA formula on revenue sharing because it had gone through wide consultations.
“We believe all counties will be considered well under a formula that considers the populations of certain areas. He was with Elgeyo Marakwet Governor Alex Tolgos and Deputy Governor Daniel Chemno.
Also present were Elgeyo Marakwet Speaker Philemon Sabulei and his Uasin Gishu counterpart David Kiplagat who also supported the population-based revenue sharing.
“The new revenue allocation formula had been arrived at after more than two years of discussions and it is backed by the 2019 Population and Poverty Index statistics, Mandago said.
He said the concerns critics of the new formula had raised can be addressed through other ways such as the Equalisation Fund.
Tolgos said his county requires additional funds through the CRA formula. He said he had been the first governor to fight for review of the allocation formula because his own county was under-financed.
“My administration spends 40 per cent of the current budgetary allocation on health and even that is not enough to improve human resources in the department. And we still have other development programmes to carry out," Tolgos said.
Mandago said counties with high urban populations such as Nairobi, Kiambu, Mombasa and Uasin Gishu have been well considered in the new formula.
"There are other counties that host cities and large town in need of more funding because they serve a large population beyond their counties. It is prudent that resources be allocated commensurate to these population densities," Mandago said.
He said counties with cities and major towns need to allocate more money to other urban essentials such as security, water and sanitation, transport and infrastructure.
Concerning marginalised counties, Mandago urged the Treasury to improve utilisation of Equalisation Fund to ensure all counties get equitable revenue allocation.
Present during the press conference were Uasin Gishu CEC for Finance and Economic Planning Julius Ruto, county Secretary Edwin Bett and MCAs from Uasin Gishu and Elgeyo Marakwet.
(Edited by V. Graham)