Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, on Monday, July 27, declared his stand over the impasse that is rocking the Senate over the revenue allocation formula for the counties.
In a statement, the former premier noted that it was the high time the lawmakers adopted the formula that originated from the Commission for Revenue Allocation.
"Under the circumstances, the country and our people would better served if we adopted the recommendation of the CRA for the next five years," stated Raila.
Noting that the Senate had already turned down the recommendation, Raila explained that the fight was now taking the ethnic approach which he described as toxic to the wellbeing of the country.
"This stand-off is causing paralysis and mistrust at a time the country needs to be united and singularly focused on tackling the grave pandemic [Covid-19] currently threatening the lives and livelihoods of our people.
"It has also taken a dangerous ethnic undertone instead of being a level-headed debate on the nation's development trajectory," he added.
Raila further noted that the resources that had been allocated by CRA were enough to take care of the country's needs and urged governor's to heighten revenue generating streams to boost income.
Jubilee and ODM Sentors had been engaged in an impasse with the former accussing the later of reluctance in supporting the proposal.
The differences between the two factions reportedly drove Raila and President Uhuru Kenyatta to plan a crisis meeting expected to take place on Monday, July 27.
The Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA) had made a proposal of Ksh316.5 billion which is to be shared among the 47 counties.
Speaking about the matter, Senate Majority Whip Irungu Kang'ata had warned that BBI would be at risk if the revenue sharing formula fronted by the state flopped at the Senate.
“We thought BBI was all about ‘one man, one shilling.' That’s the philosophy underpinning the committee's proposal.
“We shall bite the bullet. There shall be no more adjournment of the debate. We shall reconsider BBI if we lose the vote. If the government loses vote, BBI collapses,” warned Kang'ata.
On his part, DP William Ruto called for equitable distribution of resources that will benefit every county without putting others at a disadvantage.
"The ongoing revenue formula debate is unnecessarily divisive.The Constitution envisages fair and equitable sharing of all our resources.
"The legislature must as per its mandate structure a win-win formula that is sensitive to proposals made without hurting any county," noted Ruto.
