Vihiga County Senator Godfrey Osotsi has said the Equalization Fund Bill 2022 should be reviewed to avoid affecting small and highly populated devolved units like Vihiga county.
The Equalization Fund Bill 2022 is currently in the National Assembly, at the stage of collecting views from the public.
“I have read the bill and as Vihiga senator, I oppose it and ask that it be drafted afresh. If the bill is passed as it is, 36 counties qualify for the fund, locking out 11 others. And our county is among those they say are better off in terms of development, which is totally wrong,” Osotsi said.
Moreover, the senator said the county merits to be enlisted as a deserving county that is eligible for the Equalization Funds.
The Commission on Revenue Allocation initially identified 14 counties from Arid and Semi-Arid Land (Asal) areas to benefit from the kitty.
This comes after governors of Asal counties accused the state of using the funds to support non-Asal counties, adding that the funds were meant to support Asal counties during the drought.
These counties include Garissa, Mandera, Wajir, Marsabit, Turkana, Isiolo Samburu, West Pokot, Narok, Kwale, Kilifi, Taita Taveta, Tana River and Lamu.
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The fund has since been expanded to cover areas considered marginalized, hence extending up to 36 counties, while locking out 11 others.
The kitty was established back in 2013 to cushion marginalized areas, but it has been lying idle at the Treasury for the past nine years due to delays in the formulation of guidelines, late project identification and legislative hurdles.
The Equalization Fund Bill (National Assembly Bill No. 47 of 2022) is sponsored by Tiaty MP Kassait Kamket.
The bill’s principal objective is to operationalize the equalization fund as established under Article 204 of the Constitution.
Moreover, the Equalization Fund Bill 2022 is meant for pastoral persons and communities, whether they are nomadic or a settled community.
Beneficiaries of the fund are selected because of their geographic isolation and have experienced only marginal participation in the integrated social and economic life of Kenya as a whole.
Furthermore, the Vihiga senator wants the fund shared equally among the 47 counties, contrary to the bill’s proposals.
“The bill as it is unfair to Vihiga. I want the process stopped and due diligence done to all counties,” the legislator said.
Senator Osotsi also opposed the criteria used to select board members, citing its lack of diversity.
“We want the board to represent the entire nation and not just a few counties,” Osotsi said.
“There are places like on the hills in South Maragoli, Jepkoyai, which have no water and other amenities. It’s unfair to us. We won’t agree to this,” he added.