Senators differ over proposed fund allocation

By Moses Njagih

Kenya: Senators clashed over the proposed Sh226.66 billion allocation to county governments, with the Opposition terming claims that it reflects a 43 per cent of sharable revenue, a deception.

Opposition MPs claimed that it amounted to betrayal to give the allocation to counties when the Division of Revenue Bill was proposing retention of Sh799 billions to national government.

While the Jubilee senators insisted that it had to stick to the law and calculate the percentage of the county figures to the constitutionally stipulated “last audited accounts approved by Parliament”, the CORD senators said the figures should be seen alongside the Sh1.026 trillion, which is the expected revenue for the next financial year.

There were heated arguments as senators from both sides defended their position, prompting Deputy Speaker Kembi Gitura to rule that debate should only revolve on what is stipulated in the law. “Unfortunately the figures we can deal with here, according to the Constitution, is the last audited revenue approved by Parliament, which happens to be those of 2009/2010 of Sh529 billion. Any other figure you quote is only hypothetical,” ruled Gitura.

Minority Leader Moses Wetang’ula led the Opposition members in challenging the figures, arguing that it is misleading for the Government to take “its cheap propaganda” that it was giving 43 per cent to counties.

Audited revenue

“What we are giving to counties is a pittance. It is a sad day that as we share resources we are retaining the lion’s share at the national level,” argued Wetang’ula.

But Wetang’ula came under attack, especially from Majority Leader Kithure Kindiki and the Finance Committee Chairman, Mandera Senator Billow Kerrow, who had seconded the Bill, saying the Bungoma Senator was a member of his committee, which had deliberated on the Bill and agreed on the figures.

“It is a shame that some members of our committee, who had three months to question these figures, are now coming before the House to dispute the same,” said Kerrow.

But senators accused their colleagues in the National Assembly of failure to approve revenue audited by the Auditor General