Kenya: Senate Adjourns for Record Seventh Time As Revenue Formula Debate Stalls

Nairobi — The Senate failed to approve the contentious third generation basis formula on revenue sharing among counties for the seventh time on Tuesday after voting for an adjournment motion by Senator Kipchumba Murkomen.

Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Murkomen and Mombasa Senator Mohammed Fakii made a fresh appeal for the Senate to adjourn to give dialogue another chance and arrive at a consensus where those who are losing by a huge margin may perhaps lose very little.

During the vote, thirty-four Senators voted in favour of the motion while twenty-six voted against. Busia Senator Amos Wako registered an abstention.

On his part, Faki, Vihiga Senator George Khaniri and Moses Wetangula who seconded the motion deemed the formula to be divisive and skewed to disenfranchising marginalized counties even further.

At least 19 counties would have lost billions of shillings in budgetary allocations with Mandera county set to be the biggest casualty loosing Sh2 billion.

Senate Majority Whip Irungu Kang’ata led Senators Samson Cherargei, Kimani Wamatangi in opposing the motion to adjourn debate.