• Raila said that the other issues being raised can be forwarded to the CRA, which he said is mandate by the Constitution to handle the matter, for future consideration.
• President Uhuru Kenyatta had asked the Senators to pass the formula as proposed by the CRA in order to allow for the disbursement of the funds.
Image: JACK OWUOR
ODM leader Raila Odinga has asked Senators to pass the formula proposed by the Commission on Revenue Allocation.
In a statement, Raila said that the Senate should allow the country to move forward after failing to agree on it own amendments.
"Under the circumstances, the country and our people would better served if we adopted the recommendation of the CRA for the next five years," he said.
Raila said that the other issues being raised can be forwarded to the CRA, which he said is mandate by the Constitution to handle the matter, for future consideration.
The ODM leader's statement comes at a time when Senators are engaged in a war of words with those from Jubilee who support the formula saying that ODM is going against the handshake.
President Uhuru Kenyatta had asked the Senators to pass the formula as proposed by the CRA in order to allow for the disbursement of the funds.
However, counties that are to lose some allocation under the new formula have been asking for amendments.
But in his statement, Raila said that the CRA had built the new formula on lessons from a comprehensive review of the second revenue sharing basis.
"The resources currently being recommended can adequately serve our counties if we eliminate corruption in addition to heavily punishing those perpetuating the vice both at the national and county levels," he said.
He added; "Luckily, the war on corruption is yielding fruits and should safeguard public finances."
Raila said the country must also focus on encouraging counties to raise own source revenues from the economic activities within the county and demand a prudent usage of those resources.
The revenue sharing formula that the Senate has deadlocked over is a variation of what was recommended by the Commission for Revenue Allocation (CRA).
CRA is the body mandated under Article 216 (1) of the Constitution of Kenya, to come up with a formula.
The ODM leader further noted that the stand off in the formula was causing paralysis and mistrust at a time the country needs to be united.
"It has also taken a dangerous ethnic undertone instead of being a level-headed debate on the nation's development trajectory," he said.
The senators have failed to agree on a formula despite weeks of negotiations.
The stalemate has stalled the passage of county allocation of revenue Bill.
Before the Bill is passed and signed into law by the President, counties cannot get money.
This has caused division in political parties with members taking different stands.
Earlier,DP William Ruto said the ongoing revenue formula debate is unnecessarily divisive.
Ruto said that the Constitution envisages fair and equitable sharing of all our resources and challenged Parliament to play its rightful role in the process.
"The legislature must as per its mandate structure a win-win formula that is sensitive to proposals made without hurting any county. Inawezakana," the DP tweeted.
Over the weekend, Senate Majority Whip Irungu Kang'ata's threat of "no new revenue sharing formula no BBI" laid bare the length to which President Uhuru Kenyatta's team is prepared to go to get its goal.
Kang'ata's ultimatum over the revenue formula standoff has been interpreted as a part of the plan to sabotage ODM Raila Odinga's political ideals.
The new formula, according to some of Raila's allies, is part of a political plot to destabilise the ODM leader and spoil his political fortunes ahead of 2022.