Uhuru Rebukes Senate Majority Leader, Issues 3-day Ultimatum

President Uhuru Kenyatta addresses the nation at State House, Nairobi, in April 2020
President Uhuru Kenyatta addresses the nation at State House, Nairobi, in April 2020
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President Uhuru Kenyatta reprimanded the Senate leadership at State House where he assented to six bills on Thursday, July 9. 

The president expressed his disappointment with senators among them Majority Leader Samuel Poghisio and Johnson Sakaja for not reaching a consensus on the new revenue sharing formula. 

After the tense Senate meeting, Poghisio wrote to Speaker Ken Lusaka requesting a special sitting to discuss the formula on Monday, July 13 without delay.

West Pokoto Senator Samuel Poghisio
West Pokot Senator Samuel Poghisio

According to Uhuru, the delay could push the country into a constitutional crisis, as it had been agreed the formula be passed but its implementation be suspended to allow further discussions. 

The heat was turned on senators with senior house positions who opposed the bill among them Deputy Majority Leader Fatuma Dullo, Deputy Whip Farhiya Ali Haji, Kisii’s Sam Ongeri (Public Accounts Committee chair) and Sakaja who chairs the Labour committee. 

“They risk being de-whipped. He (Uhuru) decided today to command Poghisio to call a special sitting on Monday to discuss the formula,” a source revealed. 

The controversial bill has pitted Senators against each other as those from less populated areas argue that they stand to lose in the new formula. Counties were allocated over Ksh300 billion in the 2020/21 financial year.

“The one-man-one-vote-one-shilling reasoning should be the formula to allocate resources because you cannot use land as a determinant for resource allocation since money is used by people not land,” argued Malala, whose county has 1.867 million people.

Senate Majority Whip Irungu Kang’ata stated that President Kenyatta had tried intervening on the stalemate.

“The government has made several concessions to those aggrieved to this formula. Initially, the formula would have caused some counties to lose money if implemented this financial year.

“The government understands this would have caused great hardships. Again, the government does not want any senator deemed to have superintendent loss of revenue in their county,” Kang’ata noted. 

Murang’a Senator Irungu Kang’ata addressing supporters of Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro (2nd left) on September 10, 2019 in Murang’a town.
Murang’a Senator Irungu Kang’ata addressing supporters of Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro (2nd left) on September 10, 2019 in Murang’a town.
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