Uhuru Kenyatta Promises To Increase County Budget By Ksh 50 Billion

By Getrude Matayo

On Tuesday 15^th September, at State House, President Uhuru Kenyatta convened a leaders meeting to discuss the County revenue sharing stalemate at the senate.

He spoke during the meeting attended by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Chairman of the Councils of Governors Wycliffe Oparanya at State House, Nairobi

President Kenyatta Uhuru Kenyatta has pledged to allocate an additional Sh50 billion to counties’ budget during the Financial Year (2021/22).

However, this will depend on the financial performance of the economy. The funds, President Uhuru Kenyatta said, will go towards efforts to strengthening devolution in the country.

With this undertaking, President Uhuru urged senators to urgently resolve the revenue sharing stalemate at the Senate so as to avoid disruption of service delivery in the counties.

Senators are to reconvene for a record tenth time on Tuesday to debate and vote on the contentious third basis for sharing county revenue.

Governors have raised concerns over stalled operations due to a lack of funds threatening to send county staff on unpaid leave.

The Senate was represented at the meeting by Majority Leader Samuel Poghisio, Majority Chief Whip Irungu Kang’ata, Minority Leader James Orengo, and Deputy Majority Leader Fatuma Dullo

This follows they failed to hold an informal meeting (Kamukunji) On Monday as ordered by Lusaka to strike a balance ahead of Tuesday’s sitting.

Lusaka had ordered for the meeting to brief the senators on the resolution of the House leadership on the proposals fronted by a 12-member informal committee formed to strike a deal on the formula.