The proposed revenue sharing formula for counties that reportedly has the blessings of President Uhuru Kenyatta has suffered a major blow after Deputy President William Ruto failed to defend it in a statement on Monday morning.
Uhuru’s revenue sharing formula at risk of collapse after Ruto’s latest statement
Controversial formula threatens to break the handshake
President Uhuru Kenyatta’s revenue sharing formula at risk of collapse after DP William Ruto’s latest statement
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The new revenue allocation formula has sought to focus more on population after pressure from Mt Kenya leadership.
The new formula has seen 29 counties getting an increase in revenue while 18 have suffered a revenue share cut.
A number of Senators allied to Ruto and to ODM Leader Raila Odinga have refused to endorse it even where their counties are set to benefit.
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Senate Majority Whip Irungu Kangata said he had hoped to get support from Rift Valley Senators allied to the DP but was disappointed that they had chosen to play politics as opposed to looking after their people's interests.
Ruto's statement indicated that he was not in support of the current formula which he termed as divisive and called for a new formula that would ensure no counties were hurt by revenue cuts.
"The ongoing revenue formula debate is unnecessarily divisive.The Constitution envisages fair and equitable sharing of all our resources.The legislature MUST as per its MANDATE structure a WIN-WIN formula that is sensitive to proposals made without hurting any county. INAWEZEKANA," the deputy president said.
The DP's comments only a day to the Senate vote on the proposed new formula which Kang'ata admitted was at the risk of failing due to opposition from Ruto and Raila forces.
The Senate Majority whip, however, warned that the Mt Kenya region led by President Kenyatta would withdraw its support for the BBI process if ODM Senators failed to support the new formula.
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"There are 29 counties benefiting from the current formula. However, there are Senators whose counties want to reject it. James Orengo and his four colleagues from Nyanza want to oppose even though their counties are benefiting."
"Murkomen's county is also benefiting but he has opposed it and he could convince a number of Senators in the DP's camp. If they both do that then I will only have 20 votes and my motion will fail. For ODM Senators, we have told them to choose between saving their friendly bases in coast region or getting the BBI passed because if they cant support this issue that is dear to Mt Kenya region there is no need for handshake and BBI," the Murang'a Senator said on Sunday evening.
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