Kang’ata takes a dig at his boss, says Ruto fighting revenue deal
Hillary Mageka @hillarymageka
President Uhuru Kenyatta’s war horse in Senate, Majority Whip Irungu Kang’ata, has accused senators allied to Deputy President William Ruto of sabotaging efforts to unlock the stalemate over revenue sharing.
The Murang’a Senator claims that Ruto’s men were fighting efforts by Uhuru and Opposition chief Raila Odinga to broker a deal over the emotive cash sharing formula that will be the subject of debate in the Senate today.
Last weekend was a hive of activity with members of the so-called “Team Kenya” group which last week put up a spirited fight to reject the proposed formula holding strategy meetings to firm up their numbers.
The group, which comprises mainly youthful senators from counties that could lose revenue if the formula is passed, have vowed to shoot down proposed amendments, including that spearheaded by Nominated Senator Petronilla Were.
Kang’ata claims that while the majority of counties in Ruto’s Rift Valley backyard are gaining millions of shillings in the new formula, senators from the DP’s region have been “whipped” to oppose the government-backed formula for political mileage.
“Some counties in the Rift Valley who are the biggest beneficiaries of the revenue formula, their senators are opposing it despite the fact that they are gaining millions,” Kang’ata told People Daily yesterday.
“They have decided to oppose it because Mt Kenya region is part of the beneficiaries.
But they are ready to sacrifice at the altar of political convenience to ensure Mt Kenya does not benefit from even a single shilling,” he alleged.
“Senators particularly from a region of a certain politician, despite being the biggest gainers, are no longer supporting the new formula. Somebody may have called them,” he added.
According to the Whip, Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen, Aaron Cheruiyot (Kericho), Christopher Langat (Bomet), Johnson Sakaja (Nairobi), Mohamed Mahamud (Mandera), Mutula Kilonzo Junior (Makueni), and Kakamega’s Cleophas Malala, were being manipulated by “forces” outside the debating chambers.
Kang’ata sentiments came barely days after Senate Speaker Kenneth Lusaka and Majority Leader Samuel Poghisio also accused Murkomen and his ‘Team Kenya’ of mischief and acting in bad faith in the deadlock over the revenue sharing formula debate.
Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei, an ardent supporter of the proposed formula, accused some of his colleagues of hijacking the revenue sharing debate for political expediency.
“They are using it to test their political might and settle political scores,” Cherargei said in a separate interview with People Daily.
But Murkomen quickly dismissed Kang’ata’s argument, saying though his county stood to gain, he had a responsibility to protect other regions.
“I was tasked with the responsibility of defending and protecting devolution, counties, and county governments and the betterment of lives of all Kenyans.
Good conscience
“I will not, in good conscience, support a formula that seeks to rob and starve small and marginalised counties like Samburu, Tharaka Nithi, Taita Taveta, Tana River, Isiolo and many others, just to ensure my county - Elgeyo Marakwet - gains; because today, it is these marginalised counties that are on the chopping board, but tomorrow it will be Elgeyo Marakwet, or Murang’a, or Kisumu, or Nandi, and many others.”
On his part, Senator Cheruiyot likened Kang’ata’s position as Senate Majority Whip to an elephant on top of a tree, which will obviously fall.
“Everybody wonders how it got up there in the first place, but are all so sure it will come tumbling down in no minute,” Cheruiyot tweeted yesterday.
On the other hand, the Sakaja group intensified lobbying for numbers as the two rival camps engaged in a cat and mouse game in an attempt to win over more support ahead of the high stakes sitting today.
Opposing camps are this morning bracing themselves for another make-or-break session after Speaker Kenneth Lusaka called for a special sitting of the House to debate the contentious motion.
The Sakaja-Mutula-Murkomen axis, which is opposed to the third generation formula that was proposed by the Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA) and modified by the Senate Finance Committee, has alleged of a plot to scuttle their numbers.
They have repeatedly accused Speaker Lusaka of bias.
“Speaker Lusaka has convened a special sitting on Monday but he is busy doing rounds in city hotels lobbying senators to support an adjournment motion to be moved by Senator James Orengo in the same sitting. We have sunk this low? Senator Murkomen tweeted on Friday.
“Dear Referee. Stop training with one team. Let’s all meet at the pitch.” Senator Sakaja also wrote on Friday.
“Or the team will end up scoring own Goal!” Narok’s Ledama ole Kina noted.
“Speaker, please be a neural arbiter. Stop training one team,” Mandera’s Mohamed Mahamud urged.
Ole Kina yesterday claimed that Kang’ata was pushing another adjournment. ‘Team Kenya’ members also claimed there are plans to arrest them before the vote
“Team Kenya is winning ... we must stand with the Flag of Kenya. Now new tactics, a few senators will be arrested!” claimed ole Kina.
Kericho’s Cheruiyot tweeted: “To my colleagues on Team One Kenya, Please make this an easy Sunday. Pray at home with your family and keep off all temptation to venture out.”
The team which has already amended the committee’s formula in what they said would minimise losses and ensure counties “grow together” has been holding a series of meetings in the city to firm up their numbers.
Their social media pages have been awash with pictures of their meetings in various undisclosed locations.
