The ODM leader said that enhancing the Senate’s mandate would enable it to fully perform its role as envisioned under the 2010 Constitution.
Speaking at Parliament Buildings on Thursday, May 22, 2025, Raila emphasised the need for collaboration between the Senate and the National Assembly to effectively handle specific constitutional mandates.
Without such teamwork, he said, Parliament cannot fully execute its core responsibilities of oversight, representation, and legislation.
“The Senate needs to play its role, just as the National Assembly has resumed playing its part. We have countries with a similar constitutional structure, and it works very well,” Raila said.
“So let’s see our Senate function like the United States Senate, and let’s give it proper powers and responsibilities—same thing.”
Raila has previously supported the idea of a powerful Senate with veto powers over the National Assembly, particularly in matters related to resource distribution and oversight.
He also stressed that the National Assembly has its distinct sphere and must carry out its duties without encroaching on the Senate’s mandate.
“The National Assembly has its sphere, and it should do its work. Together, the National Assembly and the Senate form Parliament, whose role is to represent, legislate, and provide oversight,” Raila stated.
He noted that Parliament is central to governance because the Executive relies on the laws it passes, while the Judiciary interprets them.
“The Executive governs the country using the laws passed by Parliament; the Judiciary interprets those laws. That’s how we want it to function,” Raila said.
The former Prime Minister spoke after attending a high-level breakfast meeting on revenue sharing, hosted by the Senate Finance and Budget Committee.
The Thursday engagement, held in the Senate Chamber, was aimed at sensitising senators on the Committee’s recommendations regarding the much-anticipated Fourth Basis Revenue Sharing Formula.
Odinga, a long-time advocate for equitable resource distribution, arrived at Parliament shortly after 9:30 a.m., accompanied by a small delegation of advisors and allies.
The Fourth Basis Revenue Sharing Formula has stirred significant debate among lawmakers, governors, and fiscal experts ahead of its expected implementation for the 2025/26 to 2029/30 financial years.
The formula, developed by the Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA), outlines how nationally raised revenue should be distributed among the country’s 47 counties.
According to
the CRA’s proposal, the revenue-sharing weights are as follows: population
(42%), equal share (22%), poverty index (14%), geographical size (9%), and
income distance (13%).
