Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Sunday, May 12, revealed that he would be leading the campaign for one man one shilling in relation to resource allocation.
Gachagua was responding to Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire who had lamented that the Mt Kenya region including Embu received less funding from the National Government despite having the highest population.
The two leaders were speaking during the consecration of Bishop John Kimani Nthiga at ACK Cathedral of St. Peter's Mbeere, Siakago, Embu County.
Gachagua despite campaigning against the same formula in the previous administration claimed that he was a firm believer and proponent of one-man, one-vote, one-shilling.
“Resources are about people. The more you are, the more taxes you pay. And it goes without saying, the more taxes you pay, when it comes to sharing you share more,” he explained his rationale.
Gachagua remarked that Mt Kenya was receiving less funds despite having more resource-intensive projects and needs.
“We will push that and we have no apologies to make because it cannot be a constituency like Ruiru that has almost 800,000 people is given the same Constituency Development Fund (CDF) allocation as a constituency with 14,000 people,” he lamented.
Gachagua remarked that it was not fair and that he would lead the campaign to bring fairness when sharing CDF resources.
“It is not because we come from a region that has a high population but because it is about fairness and resources are people,” he explained.
Additionally, Gachagua remarked that he would also push for more Mt Kenya regions to be listed as beneficiaries of the equalisation fund.
The fund is distributed to marginalised counties to develop infrastructure and other key socioeconomic projects.
Governor Mbarire had earlier complained that Embu had not received equalisation funds despite the region largely being Arid and Semi-Arid Land (ASAL).
Gachagua promised that this had already been put into consideration adding that other constituencies in Mt Kenya would also be declared as marginalised so as to benefit from the fund.
