• CoG boss Wycliffe Oparanya says the governors support any proposal that increases allocation to counties.
•Majority Chief Whip Irungu Kangata accuses DP William Ruto's allies of sabotaging the controversial formula backed by President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM boss Raila Odinga.
Image: EZEKIEL AMING'A
Expect more fireworks on Monday as Senators try to pass a contentious revenue sharing formula for the ninth time.
Governors are supporting a proposal to give counties Sh348 billion even as Senate Majority Chief Whip Irungu Kang'ata accused DP William Ruto’s allies of sabotage ahead of Monday’s special sitting.
Council of Governors chairman Wycliffe Oparanya on Sunday urged the Senate to pass the revenue sharing formula proposed by Commission on Revenue Allocation - with amendments fronted by Nominated Senator Petronilla Were to increase the allocation to Sh348 billion.
Were has recommended the Treasury increases the allocation and it be shared based on CRA's formula.
However, the senator proposed that the status quo remain and the CRA formula kick in when the equitable shareable revenue is raised to Sh348 billion.
Were's amendment is pending on the floor of the Senate alongside two others fronted by Senators James Orengo (Siaya) and Kimani Wamatangi (Kiambu).
Oparanya spoke ahead of Monday’s special sitting, the ninth in less than two months, to resolve the standoff.
Speaking at his Karen residence on Sunday, he urged senators to pass the County Allocation of Revenue Bill (CARA) using the old formula (second generation) to allow the counties to get cash as they wait for more funding from the Treasury.
“I urge the Senate to pass CARA so counties are able access money as soon as the money is released by the Treasury,” Oparanya said.
The CoG will continue supporting any proposal that increases counties' allocation, he said.
Senator Were is proposing increasing the allocation to counties from Sh316 billion to Sh348 billion using the equation proposed by CRA, which means no county will miss out. Those who miss out will be minimal, Oparanya said.
CARA splits the national cake among the 47 counties. The allocations contained in the Bill are determined by a formula.
The current standoff in the Senate over the third-generation formula has stalled the passage of the Bill, thereby starving counties financially.
Fireworks is once again expected on the floor after the warring factions maintained their hard-line stances ahead of the high-stake sitting.
“There have been no negotiations. We have had factional meetings but there have been no negotiations with the other. The matter will be decided on the floor,” Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei said.
He supports the controversial formula proposed by the House Finance and Budget Committee.
The senators have failed in eight sittings to conclude the debate and vote on the formula that has divided the House down the middle.
One camp, Team Kenya, has opposed a proposal fronted by the Finance and Budget Committee of the House that cuts allocations to 19 counties by Sh17 billion.
They have amended the committee’s formula in what they said would minimise losses and ensure counties ‘grow together.’
“We are meeting every day, strategising. Even today, we are meeting. It is part of strategising to ensure we win the vote. We understand they will adjourn again but we are ready,” Senator Mutula Kilonzo Jr of the Team Kenya said.
The other faction has, however, supported the formula saying the new method will ensure allocation is proportionate to the population in each county as captured by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics following last year’s census.
On Sunday, Kangata, who is leading the team supporting the committee formula, accused senators from the DP’s Rift Valley backyard of sabotaging President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga's efforts to resolve the standoff.
Kang’ata, who is also the Murang’a senator, claims that while the majority of counties in the Rift Valley are gaining millions in the new formula, senators from DP Ruto’s region have been ‘whipped’ to oppose the government-backed formula for political mileage.
Senators Kipchumba Murkomen (Elgeyo Marakwet), Aaron Cheruiyot (Kericho) and Christopher Langat (Bomet) are some of the DP’s men from Rift Valley who have opposed the formula despite their counties gaining revenue in the controversial formula.
“Senators particularly from a region of 'a certain politician', despite being the biggest gainers, are no longer supporting the new formula. Somebody may have called them,” he said.
In a quick rejoinder, Murkomen, who is DP Ruto's key ally, dismissed the questions being raised by Kang’ata and others regarding his opposition to a formula that would see Elgeyo Marakwet gain.
He said the questions exemplify how individualistic and self-centered Kenya’s political class has become.
Murkomen said that when he was elected in 2013 and 2017, he was given the mandate to ensure resources from national government are devolved to the counties.
“I was tasked with the responsibility of defending and protecting devolution, counties, and county governments,” he said. He is fighting to improve the livew of all Kenyans, he said.
Senator Cheruiyot likened Kang’ata position as Senate Majority Whip to that of an elephant on top of a tree, which will obviously fall.
“Everybody wonders how it got up there in the first place, but are all so sure it will come tumbling down in a minute.” Cheruiyot tweeted on Sunday.
(Edited by J. Muchangi)