• Senators differ on members to the technical committee to arrive at a win-win formula.
• The technical committee had been formulated to broker a truce .
Image: EZEKIEL AMING'A
A fresh stalemate has hit the revenue sharing formula debate to the counties to after two factions in the Senate failed to agree on the membership of the technical committee.
The technical committee had been formulated to broker a truce and cobble a possible win-win formula over the impasse.
The Team Kenya caucus led by young Senators have rejected the membership of the technical committee citing vested interests in the leadership.
The Star has learnt that Team Kenya contested the selection of Uasin Gishu Senator Prof. Margaret Kamar as the chairperson.
This, they said was grounded on the fact that she has interests in the issue and that her presence at the helm will jeopardise the process and outcome of the report.
Team Kenya had further proposed the amendments to the previous amendments proposed by Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja.
In the amendments that will be spearheaded by Meru Senator Mithika Linturi, the caucus wants the revenue pegged at Sh280 billion down from the Sh316 billion under the current formula.
Parliamentarians should also desist from rhetorical statements that might incite ethnic hatred and contempt. We should all stop politicising the resource allocation process and uphold the principle of equitable development for an equitable society.”NCIC chairman Samuel Kobia
Consequently, the gaining counties would benefit from the Sh40 billion based on their 2019 population census.
In his Twitter handle Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen who moved the adjournment motion on Sakaja’s amendments hinted of a move to arrive at a win- win by further amendments led by Linturi.
“The Senate caucus dubbed “Team Kenya” composed of Senators whose counties were losing resources and other Senators who support Win-Win approach are fully behind Linturi’s further amendment to Sakaja’s and have mandated the Nairobi Senator to work on the details with his Meru counterpart,” Murkomen said.
Their counterparts who were opposed to the amendments by Sakaja had proposed Senators Masitsa Naomi Shiyonga (nominated), Susan Kihika (Nakuru), Ephraim Maina (Nyeri), Samson Cherargei (Nandi) and Ochilo Ayacko (Migori).
Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Jnr who was tasked to lead the Team Kenya, were to nominate five others to review all suggestions and bring a consensus position, a win win.
However, the feud seems to fester when Speaker Kenneth Lusaka nominated Kamar to chair while the rival group rejected her.
Efforts by Lusaka to chair the committee has equally been rebuffed by the opposing group.
Political Analyst Dr Alex Owiti says the issue could have been avoided.
“The mess we are seeing at the Senate is as a result of jumping the gun and the required process. Let's move this discussion out of Parliament and bring it back to the public gallery. Parliamentary is stuck. This discussion of revenue share is about the people," he said.
“Senate is driven by interests that should have been guided by an objectives before tabling the new formula. This is a process issue rather than a Yes or No. They look disorganized.”
At the same time National Cohesion and Integration Commission on Friday expressed concerns that the politicisation of the formula “further widens the ethnic divide in the country.”
In a statement, NCIC chairman Samuel Kobia called on Kenyans to be sober in debating the formula that has divided Senate among other stakeholders.
“It is evident that the ongoing public discourse on resource sharing has attracted unhealthy sentiments and rhetoric from political leaders, senior economists and a section of the general public. Therefore, we urge and advise the Senate to embrace an all-inclusive dialogue taking into account positive contribution of all relevant stakeholders,”Kobia said.
For a record seven times, senators have failed to pass the emotive revenue allocation formula as almost half of the 47 counties have rejected a formula that favour some counties in Mt Kenya, Rift valley and Nyanza at the expense of the traditionally marginalised ones.
“We equally, acknowledge the mandate of the CRA’s mandate of working on the basis for equitable sharing of revenue, and affirms that the backbone on national unity depends on equitable sharing of resources. We also commend the role of the legislature to address existing disparities,” Kobia said.
The NCIC boss said in light of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, senators should demonstrate unity in addressing any ideological differences on the revenue adding that “consensus has nevertheless been proven to be the most effective means”.
“Therefore, as the Senators retreat to negotiate further, we encourage them to strive to attain a win-win situation, by putting aside any ideological differences, for the sake of unity and in demonstrating the core values and principles of governance enshrined in Article 10, of the Constitution 2010,” he said.