Kiambu MPs demand ‘one-vote-one-shilling’ on revenue sharing
Members of Parliament from Kiambu County have thrown their weight behind one man, one vote, and one shilling formula adopted for sharing revenue among the 47 counties.
The MPs led by Gatundu South’s Moses Kuria insist that the national cake should be divided according to the number of people living in respective regions and not the landmass of an area.
Speaking at Karembu village during the burial of the late Stephen Nderi Kamau on Friday, the outspoken lawmaker insisted that the antagonism exhibited by members from the Orange Democratic Party (ODM) to have the new formula enacted indicates the handshake troubles.
To have the motion sail through, the legislator said that Jubilee Party only needed 24 senators to back it and with the ruling party having 28 members in the senate signified the predicaments brought about by the handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
“The motion was killed by members of ODM and the influence made to a section of a few in the ruling party and that is why I am saying that this handshake is fake. This was the largest test of whether handshake is real. If indeed the handshake is genuine, why did Odinga instruct the senators from his side to sink the motion,” he asked.
The MP cited Odinga was scheming to ensure Mt Kenya region gets a raw deal when it comes to sharing the national cake.
“President Uhuru stayed and heeded to our advice, we would not be where we are today. This handshake partner fooled our leader and if the opposition failed to pass the motion, what will happen when the BBI comes? Odinga is a petty conman misleading the Head of State,” he said.
Thika MP Patrick Wainaina has also supported the motion that he says will ensure equity and fairness because money will be distributed proportionately in various counties thereby supporting devolution.
The MPs gave the motion their nod amid opposition to the formula by some senators and MPS who have been arguing that the move will erode the gains of devolution as well as entrench marginalization of some areas.
On his side, Wainaina, an independent MP urged the senate to consider the population and revenue contribution of counties to the national government, a move he said will enhance hard work and adequate revenue collection measures in all counties.
“If we don’t use this formula to distribute resources, some regions in the country will feel marginalized despite making huge national revenue contributions,” he said.
He stated that Central Kenya and Kiambu County in particular feels marginalized despite contributing revenue in billions, money that ends up being distributed to far-flung counties with significantly low contributions.
He observed that the recent change of guard in the Senate and in the National Assembly over the proposed formula had created a political wedge between members, a move that is expected to hurt debates on key bills.
President Uhuru Kenyatta is facing an uphill task in pushing through the formula that has been disputed by at least 25 lawmakers in the Senate.
Among the senators opposed to the new formula are whose counties would lose up-to Sh17 billion if it is adopted.
As some regions anticipate losing, others could gain from the formula owing to their dense population.
