Senator Irungu Kangata reveals future of handshake after Raila Odinga's U-turn on revenue sharing formula

Senator Kangata reveals future of handshake after Raila's U-turn on revenue sharing formula

Tony Mukere

August 6, 2020 1:42 PM

Raila on Wednesday evening disowned the one man one shilling formula

Senator Irungu Kangata reveals future of handshake after Raila's U-turn on revenue sharing formula

Senate Majority Whip Irungu Kang'ata on Thursday spoke on the future of the handshake after ODM Leader Raila Odinga abandoned the one man one shilling formula advocated that was recently rejected by the Senate.

Kangata said despite the statement by Odinga, the handshake remained intact based on the strong support from Senators from the Nyanza region.

"The handshake has been very supportive and it is not threatened in any way. We have a lot of support from Senators from the handshake strongholds. The likes of Ochillo Ayacko and Sam Ongeri have supported our motions during this process," the Murang'a Senator said.

He explained that the Senate was in the process of resolving the differences between those who want population driven formula and those who want the status quo to remain where geographical land mass will play a major influence in county share.

"We have formed a committee with five Senators backing my formula and five backing the proposal by Senator Sakaja. We are sure we will arrive at an agreeable formula,"the Senator said.

Kangata had two weeks ago said that the Mt Kenya region led by President Uhuru Kenyatta would abandon the handshake and the BBI process if Odinga's allies in the Senate failed to support the population-driven counties revenue distribution formula.

The threat was later followed by a statement from Odinga supporting the formula that placed population as the main emphasis in allocation of county share of the national revenue.

However, the motion was defeated with Odinga now disowning the population driven formula and instead backing a formula proposed by Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja that maintains the status quo until more funds are devolved to the funds.

"When I first wrote the statement, I had just come back from (treatment in) Dubai. I did not know the Senate committee had made changes in the CRA formula. We should not be talking about winners and losers. It should be a win-win situation," Odinga said on Wednesday.

Tony Mukere