Governors to sue over new cash sharing formula

Governors from Eastern and North Eastern have threatened to block a new formula for sharing the equalisation fund.

The new formula by Commission for Revenue Allocation (CRA) increased the number of marginalised counties from 14 to 34.

Mandera Governor Ali Roba, who chairs the Frontier Counties Development Council (FCDC), termed the move an insult to the counties which had been deliberately starved of development due to discriminatory government policy.

The FCDC comprises Garissa, Isiolo, Lamu, Mandera, Marsabit, Tana River and Wajir.

Beneficiaries will get additional funds in their yearly allocations to improve healthcare, water services, education, roads and electricity distribution.

The new beneficiaries include Baringo, Bomet, Bungoma, Busia, Elgeyo Marakwet, Homa Bay, Kajiado, Kericho, Kisumu, Kitui and Machakos.

Others are Meru, Migori, Nandi, Siaya, Tharaka Nithi, Laikipia, Trans Nzoia, Murang’a and Nakuru.

“To define poverty as equal to marginalisation is an abuse to marginalised counties that were forgotten for generations,” Roba said in Loiyangalani, Marsabit.

“Marginalisation was a result of deliberate Government policy. We will protest that formula in court because there is no way we can accept that,” he added

The governor said the move would affect service delivery due to lack of funds. “We will fight in court to make sure that people in arid counties do not lose their right because someone thinks they are doing us a favour,” he said.

“What devolution has done in four years is equivalent to five times what the national government has done since independence and you want to insult us by saying that there are pockets of marginalisation in all counties,” said Roba.

Bureaucracy

The county chief claimed that since 2010 the bureaucracy within Government has stopped the equalisation funds from being disbursed so that marginalised areas can benefit.

Marsabit Governor Mohamud Ali said developing infrastructure in the county would open up the region for investment.

“Loiyangalani can be one of the leading tourist destination in Kenya if we can build the 200-kilometre road leading here,” he said.

Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago said the Government should ensure that all counties have attained the basic standard of development.