•Talks spearheaded by the Law Society of Kenya collapsed after National Assembly Speaker Muturi failed to show up
•Senate speaker Kenneth Lusaka was the only leader from Parliament who turned up for the meeting
Image: FILE
A meeting convened by the Law Society of Kenya to mediate between the Senate and the National Assembly over the Division of Revenue row on Monday ended prematurely.
This is after National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi failed to show up at a city hotel for the meeting that was meant to seek a solution to the protracted stalemate that has paralysed operations in counties.
LSK has offered to lead the dialogue between the two Houses, for them to reach an out of court settlement, as advised by Chief Justice David Maraga after Governors went to the Supreme Court to seek an opinion on how revenue should be shared.
On Monday, Senate Speaker Kenneth Lusaka was the only leader from Parliament that appeared before the LSK mediation team co-chaired by the association President Allen Gichuhi and city lawyer John Ohaga.
Earlier, Lusaka had raised reservations that the talks will not bear any fruit in the absence of his National Assembly counterpart, given that both houses are key to the passage of the Bill.
“We are here to dialogue, it will be good for my brother (Muturi) to be around so that we find a lasting solution to the current impasse,” said the Senate Speaker, who explained that as a house they are ready to embrace any process that will hasten the resolution of the stalemate.
Last Thursday, LSK Chief Executive Officer Mercy Wambua told journalists that apart from the two Speakers, the institution had extended invitations to the Treasury Cabinet Secretary, Attorney General, Controller of Budget and the Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA).
From the group, only Jane Kiringai, the CRA chairperson was present. The other officials sent representatives to the meeting.
This fact did not escape the attention of the Senate Speaker, who emphasized that heads of the government institutions need to appear in person, for the matter at hand to be resolved quickly.
“As the custodian of devolution, it is our interest as the senate that the stalemate ends as fast as possible. This will only be possible if the heads of the relevant institutions appear for mediation in person, instead of delegating,” said Lusaka.
Gichuhi announced that association will hold another meeting today with the concerned parties.
On Friday, Council of Governors chair Wycliffe Oparanya, who is the Kakamega County chief insisted that National Treasury must release Sh335 billion for them to effectively discharge their roles.
Oparanya was reacting to President Uhuru Kenyatta, who a day earlier had declared that that Treasury will not give counties a shilling more. The Kakamega Governor said the national government has no choice but to fund counties.
“We must be funded, whatever happens. It is now up to the Senate and the National Assembly,” vowed the CoG boss.