Friday July 10, 2020 – President Uhuru Kenyatta reprimanded the Senate leadership at his office where he assented to six bills yesterday.
The President expressed his disappointment with Senators among them Majority Leader Samuel Poghisio and Johnson Sakaja for not reaching a consensus on the new revenue sharing formula.
After the tense Senate meeting, Poghisio wrote to Speaker Ken Lusaka requesting a special sitting on Monday, July 13 without delay to discuss the new revenue sharing formula.
But according to Uhuru, the delay could push the country into a constitutional crisis because it had been agreed that the formula be passed but its implementation be suspended to allow further discussions.
The heat was turned on Senators with senior house positions who opposed the bill among them Deputy Majority Leader, Fatuma Dullo, Deputy Whip Farhiya Ali Haji, Kisii’s Sam Ongeri (Public Accounts Committee chair) and Sakaja who chairs the Labour committee.
“They risk being de-whipped.”
“He (Uhuru) decided today to command Poghisio to call a special sitting on Monday to discuss the formula,” a source revealed.
The controversial bill has pitted Senators against each other as those from less populated areas argue that they stand to lose in the new formula.
Counties were allocated over Ksh300 billion in the 2020/21 financial year.
Senate Majority Whip, Irungu Kang’ata, stated that President Kenyatta had tried to intervene on the stalemate.
“The Government has made several concessions to those aggrieved to this formula.”
“Initially, the formula would have caused some counties to lose money if implemented this financial year.”
“The Government understands this would have caused great hardships.”
“Again, the Government does not want any Senator deemed to have superintendent loss of revenue in their county,” Kang’ata noted.
The Kenyan DAILY POST
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