Senators inch closer to deal in stalemate
A 12-member Senate team established to strike a compromise on the row over the revenue sharing formula has announced a breakthrough after eight days of what they described as “serious, in-depth and long winded deliberations.”
The committee co-chaired by Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang’ula and Nairobi’s Johnson Sakaja, however, declined to give the consensus formula on which the 47 counties will share Sh316.5 billion in this year’s shareable revenue.
Instead, the team argues that they have reached a settlement on all the contentious amendments, including submission from the Commission of Revenue Allocation and the National Treasury.
Wetang’ula, flanked by his committee members told a press conference at Parliament Buildings yesterday that they had prepared a harmonised proposal that will resolve the impasse.
Denies claims
“We have made tremendous progress. But we will not divulge the details of the report as of now because we are barred by our standing orders until it is presented to the Speaker and found its way to the House,” he said.
Wetang’ula further denied claims the stalemate had delayed disbursal of the 50 per cent allocation to counties by the Treasury.
Senator Sakaja said that the committee made a determination after considering the entire proposal presented to the panel by various senators, commission on revenue allocation and the National Treasury.
“We have been one team. Tomorrow we will unveil a unified report, which will give way forward for the country,” he added.
Following the acrimonious debate on the county revenue share formula, the Senate had appointed a committee to review all the contentious amendments and prepare a harmonised proposal to resolve the impasse.
If the House leadership agrees with the committee proposal today, Speaker Lusaka shall gazette a special sitting of the Senate to approve the formula anytime next week.
Earlier, Nyamira Senator Okong’o Omogeni hit at Senate Majority Whip Irungu Kang’ata for allegedly taking over the role of Majority Leader who has been reduced to a spectator yet he is the one who should drive government agenda in Senate.
