• Bill passed amid call for governors and senators to ensure prudent use of devolution funds
• National Assembly questions Senate sittings in the grassroots saying it is a waste of public funds
Image: JAMES MBAKA
National Assembly members on Wednesday cast aspersions on the Senate's sittings outside the precincts of Parliament saying they amount to misuse of public funds.
Senators are currently in Kitui, being the second sitting after one which was held in Uasin Gishu last year.
Leader of Majority Aden Duale led the call with claims the other August House spent Sh50 million on the speaker's seat.
“The chair the Speaker of the Senate sat on was bought by the House for over Sh50 million. The whole of the county assembly of Kitui has been refurbished, things which will they leave once the session is over," he said.
“Can you imagine buying the speakers seat at Sh50 million? That is imperialism, something we have fought over the years,” the Garissa Township MP said.
"Therefore, as we debate about monies going to counties, we must caution our colleagues from such unwarranted expenses. We will not allow this should they plan to come to Garissa. That money can be best spent on something that helps Kenyans."
The issue emerged during a debate on the County Allocation of Revenue Bill, 2019, which spells the amount of money each county would get in the share of funds from the national exchequer.
Cash-strapped devolved governments got a reprieve after MPs on Wednesday passed the legislation in which counties shall receive Sh378.1 billion for the financial year 2019/20.
Of this, Sh316.5 billion will be the equitable share of the national revenue while Sh61.6 billion account for conditional transfers to counties.
The County Allocation of Revenue Bill was passed without amendments and is due for assent by President Uhuru Kenyatta upon its publication.
Uhuru is expected to assent to the bill before leaving for the UN General Assembly meeting in New York this evening.
The National Treasury had okayed the release of Sh50 billion, being funds that were carried forward from the previous financial year.
During the debate, MPs called on the Senate to ensure prudent use of funds, with a call that the same should start with the August House.
They also pushed for counties to put more effort in raising their own revenue instead of laying emphasis on the national share all the time.
Leader of Majority Aden Duale sought a review of the successes or otherwise of devolution for the seven years of the dispensation’s existence.
Members also took time to respond to Senators who accused them of amending the commencement date for the Division of Revenue Bill, 2019.
The President assented to the DORB on Tuesday, occasioning the release of monies to the 47 regional administrations, hence marking an end to days of a push and shove between lawmakers on the amount to be sent to counties.
Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wa said the Senate must not be allowed to play politics with matters of importance to Kenyans.
He asked counties to consider bolstering their own-source revenue collection targets so that they don’t suffer in the event of the delays witnessed this year.
Lamu county will receive the least amount of Sh2.59billion, followed by Elgeyo Marakwet Sh3.86 billion, Tharaka Nithi, Laikipia and Taita Taveta will receive Sh3.92 billion, Sh4.17 billion and Sh4.24billion respectively.
Isiolo, Taita Taveta and Kirinyaga counties have the same allocation of Sh4.24 billion, while Kisii and Kwale get Sh7.78 billion.
Also, Meru and Narok counties will each Sh8.03 billion, as Marsabit and Migori counties get Sh6.7 billion respectively.
The lawmakers also poked holes on the Senate Public Accounts and Investments Committee saying they have never issued a report indicting governors for graft.