Senate Majority Chief whip Irungu Kang’ata has promised to whip majority of senators to pass a third basis revenue sharing formula on Tuesday.
The Murang’a senator castigated leaders opposing the new formula which will consider population as a major factor in allocating funds to counties.
On Thursday, while speaking in Gaitheri area of Murang’a during the burial of grandmother to Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro, Kang’ata warned senators opposing the third revenue sharing formula that it’s not yet time to celebrate.
“I will marshal all senators especially those elected through Jubilee party to pass the formula to break the stalemate and ensure counties get this year’s allocations,” observed Kang’ata.
Senators especially from the north eastern region and coastal counties are opposed to the formula after it indicated their counties will get less allocation due to low population.
The new formula advocates that funds to counties be shared in accordance to population, a move which will see densely populated counties like Kiambu, Kakamega and Nakuru get more funds.
Kang’ata castigated those who opposed his leadership in the senate reminding them that his work was to purely and purposely whip Jubilee leaders and that he did it diligently and effectively.
On Tuesday, the formula was defeated after 25 senators voted against the bill compared to 22 legislators who supported the third basis revenue sharing formula.
Kang’ata suffered a defeat after tabling the bill seeking to defer the implementation of the formula to 2022.
He however said he was not to blame for the senators supporting handshake but failed to support the formula saying his duty is to whip only Jubilee senators.
On their part; MPs Ndindi Nyoro (Kiharu) Moses Kuria (Gatundu South) and Rigathi Gachagua (Mathira) blamed Opposition Chief Raila Odinga for the impasse, saying his partnership deal with President Uhuru Kenyatta was malicious and hypocritical wondering why he did not whip his senators to pass the formula.
“Raila is not honest and truthful, how come he whipped senators allied to him when they wanted to destroy the Jubilee party through removing senators allied to Deputy President William Ruto but he could not instruct them to vote for the reforms,” observed Gachagua.
Kuria on his part said that a county like Kiambu with over 1.1 million people received Sh. 9 billion while five counties in North Eastern with 700,000 voters received Sh. 45 billion.
He urged the President to be cautious with Odinga claiming he is after getting his title and not after assisting him seek for peace and unity of the nation.
“Mr. Odinga is like a man who is pushing for his father for inheritance, all what he wants from the President is his title and not for the better of the nation. I had warned him,” he said.
Mr. Nyoro on his part said Jubilee was duped into the handshake which ended up shaking the unity within Jubilee instead of bringing the “wellness of the country”.
By Bernard Munyao
