Senators and Members of the National Assembly failed to agree for a third time on whether Counties should receive Sh465 billion as approved by the Senate or Sh405 billion as approved by the National Assembly during mediation talks held in the Parliament building.

Mediation Committee Co-Chairperson representing the Senate, Mandera Senator Ali Roba, said they were willing to move down to Sh425 billion, while the Co-Chairperson representing the National Assembly, Alego Usonga MP, Samuel Atandi, said they are willing to have Sh410 billion for counties

The Senate is represented by Senators Ali Roba (Mandera), Boni Khalwale (Kakamega), Tabitha Mutinda (Nominated), William Kisang (Elgeyo Marakwet), Danson Mungatana (Tana River), Eddy Oketch (Migori), Mohammed Faki (Mombasa), Richard Onyonka (Kisii), and Daniel Maanzo (Makueni).

The National Assembly is represented by Samuel Atandi (Alego Usonga MP), Owen Baya (Kilifi North MP), Robert Pukose (Endebess MP), George Kariuki MP, Marianne Kitany (Aldai MP), Christopher Aseka (Khwisero MP), Leah Sankaire (Kajiado County MP), Naisula Lesuuda (Samburu East MP), and Zamzam Mohamed (Mombasa County MP).

Atandi said that the National Assembly was ready to increase the revenue from the current Sh387 billion, which counties got in the financial year 2024/2025, by Sh23 billion, meaning the Counties should be allocated Sh410 billion in the coming financial year.

“The National Assembly is willing to have the Counties receive Sh410 billion in the coming financial year, which is an improvement from the Sh405 billion that was approved by the house, and we urge the Senate to move down from the Sh425 billion figure they are suggesting,” said Atandi.

Khalwale had proposed that the Senate move down from Sh465 billion to Sh425 billion, asking the National Assembly to accept that figure to ensure that both the National and County Governments can perform their functions optimally.

The Kakamega Senator called for the reduction of the budget allocated to the Health, Agriculture, and Housing sectors in the National Government since these are devolved functions, so that Counties can be able to get at least Sh425 to ensure they can execute their roles.

“We are begging our colleagues in the National Assembly to think about the welfare of 12 Counties that are not able to carry out any developments because they are allocated less than Sh6 billion, which goes to recurrent expenditure,” said Khalwale.

Tana River Senator Danson Mungatana urged both teams to meet halfway to resolve the stalemate that is likely to paralyse activities in the counties, urging both teams to be aware that they are representing citizens who are eager to get services delivered.  

Kisang said the Senate had approved affirmative action to 12 small counties that have been getting less than Sh6 billion so that they can carry out development activities, since currently most funds go to recurrent expenditure, saying Sh435 billion will be ideal. 

Oketch argued that the 36 large counties have also not been optimally developed, insisting that counties should get a minimum of Sh450 billion, which is a major shift from Sh465 billion approved by the Senate, asking their colleagues in the National Assembly to support it.

Roba called on members from both houses to work towards ensuring that activities in both levels of government do not suffer, saying there was a need for convergence for counties to function and the national government to achieve its goals as they engage in negotiations.

“I would like to beseech both Senators and Members of the National Assembly to make progress in this matter since both levels of government are bound to suffer, if Division of Revenue Allocation does not happen, County Additional Revenue Allocation will be affected,” said Roba.

He said Governors should be left to handle the Counties’ Aggregation and Industrial Parks because they gave counter-offers to the national government without considering where the money would come from, and they should be left to look into ways of completing the projects.

Kariuki said that he will not support even a one-shilling increase going to the counties up from the Sh405 billion agreed upon if Governors do not withdraw the various court cases which they have filed against the National Assembly.