Senators on Thursday expressed their satisfaction after striking a deal regarding the Third Basis Revenue Formula
The debate caused a standoff among the Senate members for several months as two opposing factions emerged.
Senate Majority Whip Irungu Kang’ata and a number of his counterparts had backed a formula that was perceived to have revenue allocated to counties based on population rather than its size.
The formula which was dubbed ‘OneManOneVoteOneShilling’ was however shot down by senators, with the Senate failing to arrive at a consensus 10 times.
President Uhuru Kenyatta had distanced himself from the formula, though saying that it was not fair to assume that all the people in counties perceived as developed were equal.
Deputy President William Ruto had urged senators to reach a deal that would not hurt other counties, a win-win situation.
The senators who were representing counties which were to lose out under the formula stood firm and vowed not to change their stand under any intimidation.
Senators Johnson Sakaja (Nairobi), Kipchumba Murkomen (Elgeyo Marakwet), Mutula Kilonzo Jr. (Makueni, Cleophas Malala (Kakamega) among others coalesced under ‘Team Kenya’ insisting they would only support a formula that would unite the country.
The stalemate led to the formation of a 12-member committee with the representatives from the two sides to try and end the standoff.
The committee was co-chaired by Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula and Sakaja was trusted to resolve the standoff.
But even as the debate was still on, three senators who were opposing the formula were arrested for different allegations in the wake of the voting day which was to decide the fate of it.
Senators Steve Lelegwe (Samburu), Christopher Langat (Bomet), and Cleophas Malala (Kakamega) were picked by police officers and moved to police stations in their various counties.
Their arrests paralyzed the debate, as members unanimously agreed to postpone the debate until the whereabouts of their arrested colleagues were clarified.
On Thursday, September 17, the standoff came to an end after senators unanimously voted to approve the third basis for sharing revenue among counties.
All the 41 senators (delegations) present in the House on Thursday afternoon voted to approve the formula after months of a standoff.
Earlier, the 12-member Senate Committee that was tasked with developing a win-win formula after President Uhuru Kenyatta pledged an additional Sh50 billion allocation to counties reached a consensus.
“The struggle has yielded. Our fight has not been in vain. History will judge us right. Finally, it’s a WIN-WIN formula. No county is losing, Kenya is one,” Malala said.
Murkomen said, “It was worth the fight. It’s a WIN-WIN. I am happy. Thank you all for your support and best wishes.”
Kangata said the battle has been won after a protracted debate and that there is no county that will feel left out.
“The journey has been very long and tedious… I want to thank all the senators who have supported this formula. For the first time, we are seeing more money going to the counties that are more densely populated,” Kangata said.