Fingers crossed as Senate, MPs in final talks on Revenue Bill

Nairobi, Kenya - County governments will be closely following proceedings today at the mediation talks between the National Assembly and the Senate on the disputed Division of Revenue Bill.

The meeting by representatives of the two Houses is the last-ditch attempt to save from collapse the proposed law that guides sharing out of national revenue between counties and national government in the next financial year.

Unless the six members of the mediation team – three from each of the two houses – reach a consensus on what should be allocated to counties today, the proposed law will be lost on Wednesday when the constitutionally allowed 30-days mediation period lapses. This would plunge county governments in a financial crisis, a move likely to cripple them, as there would be no basis for allocating them funds in the absence of the Division of Revenue Act.

The mediation committee comprising Mbeere South MP Mutava Musyimi, who is also the chairman and leading the National Assembly team that has MPs Mary Emasse and Ruaraka's Tom Kajwang on one side and senators Mutahi Kagwe (Nyeri), Boni Khalwale (Kakamega) and Beatrice Elachi (nominated) on the other, hold the key to the already threatened Division of Revenue Bill.

The two teams have met on two occasions and failed to reach a compromise on how much should be shared between the 47 county governments, making today's meeting crucial in resolving the impasse.

Yesterday, Kagwe disclosed the bleak future the bill is facing, even as he pleaded with both parties to make concessions and safe the situation.

"Even as we meet tomorrow, there are no indications that anyone is letting go their position. This is dangerous. We have asked experts to come and help us out," said the Nyeri senator.

He said each side must be willing to cede some ground to accommodate the others.

After they failed to reach a consensus last week, Mutava (pictured) told The Standard that today's meeting would be crucial, given that time was running out.

"We are alive of the fact that we have a deadline on these talks. We are hoping that the next round of talks will yield something," the MP said.

 Khalwale  said yesterday they had in the last meeting indicated a number of votes where the national government can make sacrifices and give more money to county governments. "Sh 12.5 billion that has been set aside for irrigation and fertilisers can be slashed and have Sh 2.5 billion transferred to counties," he said.