Wamuzi News Ke
The Senate has been thrown into turmoil once again, as a fierce and emotional clash over how to share billions of shillings in national revenue among Kenya’s 47 counties threatens to plunge the chamber into a crisis not seen since the dramatic standoff of 2020.
What began as a routine session has erupted into a high-stakes showdown pitting region against region, with senators locked in a bitter tug-of-war over two conflicting revenue-sharing formulas. The battle lines have been drawn between the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Budget and the Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA)—each pushing rival plans that could drastically reshape the country’s fiscal future.
Senators at War
The debate, chaired by Mandera Senator Ali Roba, quickly turned heated as lawmakers scrambled to defend their counties’ interests, demanding changes to favor their people. From flood-stricken Tana River to the underfunded counties of northern Kenya, senators passionately pushed for disaster-prone areas, geographic size, and poverty to be weighted more heavily in the revenue-sharing formula.
“Some counties are constantly hit by disasters,” pleaded Tana River Senator Danson Mungatana. “Even if it’s just 1%, let us factor in catastrophe!”
Kitui’s Enoch Wambua argued that massive counties face overwhelming service delivery challenges, citing the near two-week delay in medicine reaching remote Mandera compared to Nairobi’s few hours. “We must account for time, distance, and cost,” he urged.
Back to the Brink
Memories of the bruising 2020 gridlock loomed large, when the Senate failed a record 10 times to pass a formula—forcing then-President Uhuru Kenyatta to intervene with a Sh53 billion bailout just to avert disaster. That deadlock nearly crippled county operations. Now, with familiar tensions resurfacing, fears of a replay are growing.
Elgeyo Marakwet Senator William Kisang sounded the alarm, calling for a guaranteed Sh6 billion minimum for all counties. “Some regions are being starved of resources. How do you expect them to function or grow?” he asked.
Isiolo Senator Fatuma Dullo lashed out at the CRA for sidelining the livestock sector, warning that pastoralist communities are being neglected. “Why favor agriculture and leave livestock behind? Our economy matters too,” she charged.
A Tale of Two Formulas
At the heart of the chaos are two competing blueprints. The Senate Committee’s version proposes a new Sh387.42 billion baseline for 2024/25, with any extra cash distributed using a revised formula. It boosts the equal share from 22% to 35%, trims the poverty index to 12%, and slashes the geographical size factor.
Controversially, the committee has thrown out the income distance index, calling it flawed and based on inaccurate data. They also scrapped a CRA “stabilization” feature meant to prevent income drops for counties, saying it added unnecessary complexity.
Meanwhile, the CRA’s leaner model simplifies parameters down to five, heavily favoring population at 42%, followed by poverty, income distance, and land size. CRA chairperson Mary Chebukati insists their version is fairer and demands a Sh417 billion total allocation to counties.
“To ensure smooth service delivery, we must anchor allocations on population and land size,” Chebukati stressed.
What’s Next?
With no consensus in sight and passions flaring in every corner of the chamber, the Senate appears on the verge of another legislative meltdown. As counties brace for the outcome, the people of Kenya watch nervously—hoping their voices won’t be lost in the noise of political brinkmanship.
This is not just a formula. This is a fight for survival, development, and dignity in every corner of the nation. And it’s far from over.
