Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei has criticised MPs for rejecting a proposal to increase county allocations by Ksh60 billion, terming the decision a threat to devolution.
On June 3, the National Assembly rejected an amendment by the Senate, saying the country's economy was not in a position to accommodate the additional funding to counties, which have been allocated Ksh405 billion.
Cherargei said that he is disappointed with the National Assembly's decision, and the Senate will go for mediation.
“As a Senate, we are going for mediation. It cannot be that the budget of Kenya is Ksh4 trillion, yet you want to give counties Ksh 405 billion. It is very unfair. Their only argument they have is that of corruption. Even in the national government, there is a lot of corruption.”
“What are they doing to fight corruption in the national government? I am disappointed because I supported the Ksh 465 billion to the counties,” Cherargei said.
Rejecting the Senate's proposal, Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah, while moving the motion, stated that it may not be practical to give counties extra pay due to the country's economic crisis.
"This Bill, as approved by the House, had about Ksh405 billion, but the other House has since amended that and proposed that we increase that to about Ksh465 billion, that is Ksh60 billion above what is agreed. And bearing in mind the fiscal space that we have, it may not be practical to increase by Ksh60 billion," Ichung'wah stated.
Ichungwah's request was unanimously accepted by the lawmakers, who declined the Senate's request.
The senator stated that the increment of funds to the grassroots will help the counties to fix roads, hospitals, buy drugs, and young people could go to youth polytechnics.
“I want more money to come to Mashinani so that we can fix roads, the hospital, buy drugs, and young people can go to youth polytechnics. That Ksh 4 trillion is a lot, so if you only give Ksh 400 billion to counties, you are killing counties,” he added.
In his statement, the Senator said that he will propose a more equitable distribution of national resources in the counties.
He, however, urged ODM leader Raila Odinga and President William Ruto not to support the MPs' move.
The contentious matter has, in the recent past, caused delays to county revenue allocations as the two Houses went back and forth with the amounts feasible for county allocation.
