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He said Gachagua, and those hellbent on pegging revenue sharing on population are introducing a 1965 policy that discriminated against some regions
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The policy provided for development of high-potential areas at the expense of low-potential areas like arid and semi-arid areas.
Image: EZEKIEL AMINGÁ
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has triggered a political storm with his one man, one shilling revenue sharing call.
Gachagua said revenue should be shared among counties based on population and not land mass.
This call has angered political leaders from vast arid and semi-arid areas.
The leaders, led by Tana River Senator Danson Mungatana described Gachagua's calls as unfortunate, discriminatory and an attempt to divide the country.
“His statement is unfortunate because it is an attempt to continue with the segregation and discrimination of the arid and semi-arid regions,” Mungatana said.
He said Gachagua, and those hellbent on pegging revenue sharing on population are introducing a 1965 policy that discriminated against some regions.
The policy provided for development of high-potential areas at the expense of low-potential areas like arid and semi-arid areas.
“That sessional paper created a policy of discrimination of arid and semi-arid areas. We cannot allow this to happen in 2024,” Mungatana said.
He warned Gachagua that the move will affect his presidential ambitions.
“If you are planning to be President of this country you cannot ignore counties with small populations, Presidents Daniel Arap Moi, Mwai Kibaki, Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto did not ignored us. Anybody trying to ignore us and will do so on his own peril,” Mungatana said.
On Sunday, during a church service in Kiambu county, Gachagua called for allocation of more resources to Mt Kenya, owing to its huge population.
“The push for this formula is not just about our region’s high population but it is because it is the right thing to do. We are committed to ensuring fairness in the sharing of national revenue," he said.
Currently, revenue sharing among county governments is pegged on various indices. They are health, agriculture, population, urban services, land area and poverty level.
Mungatana called on the adoption of one man, one vote, one kilometre as the basis for sharing revenue among the devolved units.
“We are not in this country by mistake. We are here and not going anywhere. Economic discrimination has gone on for so long. It is not acceptable to try and ignore it," he said.
“We will not accept discrimination of arid areas, which have been marginalised since independence. It will be unfair for anyone to come up with a proposal that will further marginalise the area. We are in this country not at the request of anyone.”
The lawmaker said River Tana, which passes through Tana River county produces 80 per cent of electricity being used in the country.
“Gachagua’s statement is not the official position of the ruling Kenya Kwanza Alliance nor has it been approved by the cabinet. He should stop coming up with policies that will lead to divisions in the country,” Mungatana said.
He said different regions have different needs hence equal allocation of funds.
“The head needs the heart, the heart needs the kidney, the kidney needs the liver and all parts of the body are important. All Kenyans matter notwithstanding where they come from is very important and should not be looked down by anyone,” Mungatana said.