A report by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) has revealed that three counties have been receiving ksh15billion more than their rightful share for the last over five years.
According to the KNBS, the 2009 national census irregularly increased the population of Garissa, Mandera and Wajir counties by approximately 31 percent.
However, the KNBS has since revised the population figures according to a report tabled in the National Assembly last month.
[caption caption="File image of Mandera Governor Ali Roba"]
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They further revealed that the matter has been a subject of court battles, blocking bureau and the Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA) from reviewing the allocation to rectify the manipulation of the population data in 2009.
KNBS confirmed the revisions on population data in its basic report for 2015/2016 Kenya Integrated Household Budget Survey (KIHBS), whose implementation was quashed by the April 2016 court ruling.
According to findings of a survey in 2016, Mandera’s population of 1,025,756 reduced to 711,000, Wajir’s 661,941 reduced by 202,961 and Garissa also reduced by 191,060 from 623,060.
"The average household size in the rural areas was higher at 4.5 members compared to 3.3 members in urban areas. Wajir, Mandera and Garissa counties recorded high household sizes of 6.6, 6.4 and 5.5 members, respectively," reads part of the KNBS report.
Mandera is expected to get ksh10.1 billion in the next financial year and has maintained the top five list of counties getting the lion’s share annually.
Leaders from the region have maintained the allocation is deserved, arguing that the region has been marginalised since independence.
“For the five years, nothing will happen to these counties until the next census is done next year. We have gone to court three times but blocked from using the projections,” explained Linet Nyaboke, CRA’s director of research and policy.
The Senate Minority Whip, who is also a member of the Finance and Budget Committee, Mutula Kilonzo Jnr, last week tabled a report on the County Allocation of Revenue Bill, 2018, spelling out the ksh314 equitable share to counties.
The National Treasury has sought parliamentary approval for ksh48 billion for the census.
[caption caption="File image of Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Jr"]
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