Team fails to agree on Division of Revenue Bill
What you need to know:
- It emerged yesterday that the team from the National Assembly had stuck with the initial figure of Sh283.7 billion that was proposed by the House.
- The Bill divides revenue between the national government and counties. The Houses have differed on the money to be sent to the devolved units.
- Other than Dr Khalwale, the Senate picked Ms Beatrice Elachi (Majority Whip) and Nyeri Senator Mutahi Kagwe. From the National Assembly are MPs Mutava Musyimi, Mary Emasse and Tom Kajwang’.
Hard-line stances by both sides of the mediation committee set up to find a compromise on the Division of Revenue Bill have prevented progress on the matter.
Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale, a member, on Tuesday said the team met twice since last week when it was fully constituted, but there was no headway yet.
“We have met twice but are yet to agree. We differed on the Sh7 billion proposed by the Senate. The challenge raised has been the source of the money, but we have tried to suggest where we could get it from,” said Dr Khalwale.
It emerged yesterday that the team from the National Assembly had stuck with the initial figure of Sh283.7 billion that was proposed by the House.
“The National Assembly should relax their hard-line stance. When you go for mediation, you go to talk, not to impose your position,” he added in a telephone interview.
The Houses have constituted a mediation committee to help find a common position and enable the passage of the Bill, but by yesterday that there was no agreement yet.
The Bill divides revenue between the national government and counties. The Houses have differed on the money to be sent to the devolved units.
The mediation committee set by the Senate and the National Assembly has 30 days to determine the fate of this year’s Division of Revenue Bill.
30 DAYS
Other than Dr Khalwale, the Senate picked Ms Beatrice Elachi (Majority Whip) and Nyeri Senator Mutahi Kagwe. From the National Assembly are MPs Mutava Musyimi, Mary Emasse and Tom Kajwang’. The committee has 30 days within which to agree, or else the Bill would collapse.
An agreeable version of the Bill will be placed before the two Houses for passage if they agree.
The Houses failed to agree on the proposed Sh291 billion shareable revenue to the counties in the next financial year leading to the formation of the mediation team.
MPs earlier proposed Sh283.7 billion to the counties, but the Senate increased it by Sh7.7 billion to cater for Level 5 Hospitals and emergencies. MPs, however, rejected the senators’ proposal, saying their counterparts did not provide where the extra money would come from.
