Narok Senator Ledama Ole Kina has criticized deputy president Rigathi Gachagua over the ongoing push and pull over the equalization funds to county governments.
Senator Ledama noted that DP Gachagua has no authority to determine the funds channeled to counties.
Moreover, a stalemate is brewing between the two arms of government over the share of funds to counties as they demand Sh425 billion over the Sh380 billion proposed the National Treasury.
Ledama’s remarks came after DP Gachagua called out at governors for asking for a raise in the counties’ allotment to Sh425 billion.
Gachagua told the governors that Kenya Kwanza administration does not have money and as such is unable to comply with their requests.
“They are asking for Sh425 billion. SRC is saying that in our scheme of mathematics, you can give Sh407 billion. The national government is saying that is good, Sh407 billion is even better, we can give it to you, but we don’t have it, we only have Sh380 billion,” Gachagua said.
I am thinking of the right word to describe @rigathi and I can’t quite get it! Is he an imperious personality? Or is simply Delusional ? Please @MutahiNgunyi help me here ? Who told this guy he is the one who determines money that goes to counties ??? JESUS? @Kenyans really ???
— Sen. Ledama Olekina (@ledamalekina) February 3, 2023
Gachagua further noted that the State could only afford to allocate between Sh380 and Sh385 billion.
Also Read: “The Government has no Money” DP Gachagua Tells Governors
Nevertheless, the Council of Governors (CoG) has maintained its stand on the County Shareable Revenue where Governors want a raise from Sh370 billion to Sh425 billion.
The CoG vice chairperson Ahmed Abdullahi (Wajir Governor) accused the National Treasury of failing to build a consensus with the Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA).
“We express our discontent with the National Treasury’s failure to build consensus on the county’s equitable share of revenue despite the objective recommendation issued by CRA. During the consultative meeting, the National Treasury did not form the basis for deviating from the recommendations by CRA,” Abdullahi stated.
Nonetheless, Governors are demanding Sh425 billion, an amount refuted by the CRA which recommended Sh407 billion.
On its part, the National Treasury said it can only increase the current amount of Sh370 billion to Sh380 billion.