A fresh battle for the soul of devolution has erupted in Parliament, as a high-stakes mediation committee convenes to resolve a bitter standoff between the National Assembly and the Senate over the Division of Revenue Bill, 2026. At the heart of the crisis is a multi-billion-shilling gap that threatens to derail the upcoming budget cycle and cripple essential service delivery across the 47 counties.
The deadlock follows the National Assembly’s approval of a KSh420 billion equitable share for county governments, a figure the Senate has vehemently rejected. Senators, led by Mandera Senator Ali Roba, have pushed for a significantly higher allocation of KSh454.7 billion, citing the “dire” financial situation facing devolved units.
According to proponents of the higher figure, counties are currently buckling under the weight of mounting pending bills, unfunded mandates like Community Health Promoters, and the requirements for County Aggregation and Industrial Parks.
“Our proposal is not arbitrary; it is informed by the realities on the ground,” Senator Roba stated, emphasizing that counties are struggling to meet constitutional obligations amidst rising inflation.
Conversely, members of the National Assembly have urged caution, citing a looming KSh200 billion revenue shortfall and a national budget deficit exceeding KSh1 trillion. Alego Usonga MP Samuel Atandi, co-chair of the mediation committee, warned that while the legislature supports the strengthening of devolution, it must prioritize fiscal sustainability. “All of us support devolution, but we must make responsible decisions that safeguard the country’s fiscal health,” Atandi noted during the opening of deliberations.
For the Council of Governors, the outcome of this mediation is a matter of survival. Governors have argued that without the higher allocation, the delivery of healthcare, agriculture, and water services—the bedrock of devolution—will face imminent collapse.
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