Wamuzi News Ke
The Senate descended into chaos today as senators clashed over a dramatic expansion of the Equalisation Fund’s beneficiary list—from 14 to 34 counties. What began as a constitutional fund designed for the most marginalized areas has sparked fierce accusations of political manipulation and injustice.
The Equalisation Fund, enshrined in Article 204(1) of the Constitution, requires 0.5% of national revenue be directed into infrastructure and basic services—roads, water, electricity, health—in less developed counties. Its original target was 14 counties, mainly from the Northeastern region. But recent amendments by the Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA) and Parliament have shifted the goalposts.
Senators accuse peers of hijacking the fund
At the heart of the storm are sharp rebukes from senators like Boni Khalwale (Kakamega), who denounced the move as misaligned with the fund’s intent. He highlighted Kericho’s inclusion as absurd, pointing out the county’s near year-round rainfall, arguing it offers little rationale to compete over water investments against arid regions like Turkana.
“This is not about marginalisation—it’s about power. You’re pulling Mandera’s water money into Bungoma and Kericho,” thundered Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, calling the expansion unconstitutional and a betrayal to truly needy counties.
On the defending side, Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot, from the committee that approved the expansion, painted a more nuanced picture. He argued using a broader lens of development inequality, emphasizing that pockets of deprivation exist even in wealthy counties. Cheruiyot cited Kericho’s stony highlands, where water remains scarce despite ample rainfall.
Undermining the fund’s core mission?
Mombasa Senator Mohamed Faki echoed the concern, warning that the fund’s noble origins are being diluted, and its impact severely diminished. The Senate debate, charged with accusations of opportunism, threatens to stall the Equalisation Fund Appropriation Bill 2025—and with it, the release of a crucial Sh16.8 billion.
Deadline looms for release of funds
The standoff places marginalized communities at risk, as essential developments hang in the balance. With the bill blocked, no allocations can be released for ongoing and upcoming projects that communities have been awaiting.
What comes next
Senators face mounting pressure to forge consensus—or risk seeing the most vulnerable regions sidelined in the next financial cycle. Legal advisors warn that expanding the fund beyond constitutional thresholds without clear criteria could open the process to court challenges.
Kenya at a crossroads
Today’s seismic shift in the Equalisation Fund debate raises fundamental questions: Should a constitutional safety net be broadened at the risk of dilution? And can lawmakers justify diverting vital support away from historically marginalized areas?
With service delivery and infrastructure projects hanging in the balance, the Senate must choose whether to defend the original vision or embrace a wider, more contested definition of equity. The nation waits—for clarity, compromise, and delivery on the promise of inclusion.
