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Raila Breaks Silence on Revenue Sharing Formula, Offers Long-lasting Solution

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader Raila odinga has issued a detailed statement on the revenue sharing formula that has caused a standoff in the senate.

Raila in a statement issued on Monday July 27, 2020 has accused the senate of failing to adopt its own amendments to the third basis formula for sharing revenue from the Commission for Revenue Allocation (CRA).

The former Prime Minister argues that the senate standoff is causing paralysis and mistrust at a time Counties need to be united and singularly focused on fighting Covid-19.

Raila says the current standoff in the senate is a variation of what was recommended by the CRA, the body mandated under article 216 (1) of the Kenyan Constitution, to come up with the formula.

Raila notes that the revenue should be population driven.

He says the CRA recommendation is based on an understanding that County governments are about service requirements of the population including in health, agriculture, infrastructure, education among others.

Under the circumstances, Raila says, the country would be better served if the senate adopted the recommendation of the CRA for the next five financial years.

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In order to avoid similar standoffs next time, Raila says that the concerns currently arising should be forwarded to the CRA for consideration in its future recommendation.

However, the African Union envoy notes that Counties must be encouraged to raise their own source revenues from the economic activities within the counties and demanding a prudent usage of those resources.

He says the senate should allow the country move forward by adopting the CRA report while using the concerns raised for future recommendations on revenue sharing.

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Moses Kuria Exposes Dirty Intrigues Played in The New Revenue Allocation Formula

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria has exposed the dirty intrigues that are being played in the new revenue allocation formula that has caused division in the senate .

Taking to his official Facebook account this morning, Kuria claimed that in the 2017 General Elections, Kiambu County had 1,173,593 registered voters.

He argues that Mandera, Garissa, Wajir, Isiolo and Marsabit had a combined 718,940 but in the existing formula for resource allocation, Kiambu gets Ksh 9 billion while the five Counties get combined Ksh 45 Billion.

The controversial lawmaker is now demanding for an explanation where justice and fairness lies in he current revenue allocation formula.

“In the 2017 General Elections, Kiambu County had 1,173,593 registered voters. Mandera, Garissa and Wajir, Isiolo and Marsabit had a combined 718,940. In the existing formula for resource allocation, Kiambu gets Ksh 9B. The 5 Counties get combined Ksh 45 Billion. Someone please look at me in the eye and explain to me like a two year old where justice and fairness lies here. With all humility please,” reads Kuria’s Facebook post.

Most senators want no county to lose a single cent in the new revenue sharing formula developed by the Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA).

According to the Standard, at least 30 senators are in support of a motion by Nairobi’s Johnson Sakaja seeking to ensure no county gets reduced allocation based on the third formula that will see regions that have been receiving a higher allocation because of their huge landmass and high poverty indices, get less.

However, the move by senators backing Sakaja has created further divisions on the hotly contested formula the commission forwarded to the Senate for consideration.

Senators backing the third basis revenue sharing formula are those from counties that will be gaining as those from counties that will lose, rejecting it.

There are those that, while their regions are gaining, are backing Sakaja’s motion.Sakaja, Kithure Kindiki (Tharaka Nithi), Mohamed Faki (Mombasa) and Abshiro Halakhe (Nominated) have vowed to reject any proposal that will see any allocation to any county reduced while others gain.

Kindiki, who spoke on behalf of 18 other counties, argued that the formula being pushed by a section of senators, led by Murang’a’s Irungu Kangata, is highly divisive and meant to victimise some regions.

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Politics

Defiant Murkomen Declines Jubilee’s Latest Offer to Him

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen has declined a new offer that had been granted to him by Jubilee party.

Murkomen was on Tuesday May 26, 2020 proposed to be a member of the Devolution Committee in the new changes that were announced by the ruling party..

The changes according to the newly installed senate Majority whip Irungu Kang’ata have been communicated to the Senate speaker Ken Lusaka for immediate implementation.

Murkomen was to replace John Kinyua.

In the changes, Senator Christopher Lang’at (Bomet)has been replaced at the House Business Committee by Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja.

Lang’at also lost his post as Education Committee chairman to Senator Alice Milgo.

However, Murkomen has declined to take the offer. Murkomen says he only learnt from the media that he had been proposed to serve in the Senate Devolution Committee in effect replacing Senator Kinyua who is being punished for standing with him.

According to the former Senate Majority leader, accepting the position will be tantamount to repaying unstinting loyalty with spite and treachery.

“This afternoon I learnt from the media that I have been proposed to serve in the Senate Devolution Committee in effect replacing Sen.Kinyua who is being punished for standing with me. Accepting the position will be tantamount to repaying unstinting loyalty with spite&treachery,” tweeted Murkomen.

Murkomen further noted that as a Majority Leader, he chose not to serve in any committee and that he ensured that committee membership and leadership was distributed fairly among his colleagues.

He has condemned the unwarranted humiliation of Senators Linturi,Kinyua,Langat and Cherargei merely because they stood by the truth and fairness.

“As a Majority Leader I chose not to serve in any committee&I ensured that committee membership&leadership was distributed fairly among my colleagues.I condemn the unwarranted humiliation of Senators Linturi,Kinyua,Langat&Cherargei merely because they stood by the truth&fairness,” he posted.

He further notes that he is ready to serve the nation in any capacity and in any committee even as a mere member, now and in future.

The vocal senator says that he abhors taking up positions at the expense of his colleagues who are being humiliated for no apparent reason.

“Now and in the future I am ready to serve the nation in any capacity and in any committee even as a mere member. What I abhor is to take up positions at the expense of colleagues who are being humiliated for no apparent reason. Thank you and God bless,” he tweeted.

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Politics

VIDEO: Senators Were Paid 200k to Oust Kindiki, Vocal Tanga Tanga MP Claims

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

A vocal Deputy President William Ruto allied MP has come out to claim that senators who voted to oust Tharaka Nithi senator Kithure Kindiki as senate deputy speaker, were paid.

According to Bahati MP Kimani Ngunjiri, the senators met at Serena Hotel, where they were given ksh. 100,000 each. He says they were promised to be given the remaining Ksh. 100,000 after their voting.

The vocal Tanga Tanga MP further claims that the entire process in which Prof Kindiki was kicked out was corrupted. He says the senate speaker ignored the voting procedure, where the senators use a special voting system to cast votes, and opted for verbal voting.

According to Ngunjiri, the senators who voted yes rushed quickly after the process, to pick their remaining balance that they had been promised.

He further accused President Uhuru Kenyatta of bringing in their political enemy, the ODM party leader Raila Odinga, to cause troubles in the ruling party. Ngunjiri says that it is President Kenyatta who taught them how to abuse Raila at the time he was fully in opposition.

Kindiki was on Friday last week ousted after a heated debate.

Out of the total 67 senators, 54 voted to kick out the deputy speaker who they accused of party disloyalty and disrespect to the party leader.

At least 26 of senators from the minority side voted in favour of his removal. Only two, Bungoma senator Moses Wetangula and Nominated Judith Pareno did not cast their votes because they were not in the House.

However, Mr Wetangula, who is on a mandatory quarantine after his brother died of Covid19, expressed his support for the removal in a message to Minority leader James Orengo.

Seven senators voted to save Prof Kindiki, a far cry from the tussle of numbers that the pro-Ruto allies have always touted. They were Kipchumba Murkomen, Aaron Cheruiyot, Christopher Langat, Susan Kihika, John Kinyua, Samson Cherargey and Kindiki himself.

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17 MPs, Senators Test Positive For Coronavirus

by Muthoni Kamande
written by Muthoni Kamande

Seventeen members of parliament and senators have reportedly tested positive for the deadly Corona-virus after undergoing tests.

Health Cabinet Secretary Muthai Kagwe on Tuesday afternoon confirmed 14 more news cases, a day after President Uhuru Kenyatta confirmed 16 new cases on Monday afternoon.

The 17 MPs are said to spread between the cases that were confirmed on Monday and those that were confirmed on Tuesday.

50 members of parliament underwent tests after they reportedly interacted with Rabai Member of Parliament Kamoti Mwamkale who is among those who have been confirmed to have contracted that virus that’s first spreading across the globe.

Narok Senator Ledama Ole Kina on Tuesday afternoon confirmed that indeed the MPs had undergone tests after he shared the results of his test, which came out negative.

Mwamkale is said to have contracted the virus after coming into contact with Kilifi Deputy Governor Gideon Saburi who is said to have contacted the virus abroad. Saburi has since recovered from the virus but is currently in custody after he was arrested last week for failing to self-isolate.

Reports now indicate that more Members of Parliament and Senators have since been confirmed positive to the virus. The identities of the lawmakers who tested positive remain unknown but it is said that they are all those who came into contact with Kamoti.

So far 172 Corona-virus cases have been confirmed in the country. Six people have since succumbed to the deadly pandemic while 7 have fully recovered from it. High profile people who have contacted it in the country are Saburi and Mwamkale.

The government has since put in place measures to ensure that the virus doesn’t spread at an alarming rate. This includes a countrywide 7pm-5am curfew and banning travels into and from Nairobi Metropolitan region, Kilifi, Mombasa and Kwale counties.

Across the globe, over 1.3 million people have been confirmed positive with over 70,000 deaths confirmed. The cure or vaccine for the virus is yet to be unearthed as the virus continues to spread like bush-fire.

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