MPs angered by revenue allocation

By Peter Opiyo

MPs now want to have a control on how national revenue is allocated to the 47 counties.

The legislators, angered by the formula used to allocate revenue by the Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA), are now pressing for the urgent publication of two Bills that would outline finer details of the formula and details of revenue that goes to the devolved units.

Ikolomani MP Boni Khalwale called on the Speaker to issue a ruling directing that the Division of Revenue Bill and the County Revenue Bill be brought to the House for debate immediately.

He argued that CRA did not use the revised National Population and Housing Census in its formula.

He argued that the population in Kisii, Homa Bay, Busia and Bungoma, amongst other counties were revised yet CRA did not factor this in the formula. His views were shared by Dujis MP Aden Duale and Ekwe Ethuro (Turkana Central).

According to the 2010/2011 figures CRA recently said the 47 counties stand to get about Sh200 billion out of the Sh610.7 billion national revenue.

Maragwa MP Elias Mbau said CRA has forwarded its formula to the Parliamentary Budget Committee and that the committee would be seeking the public’s views and inputs on the process beginning this Friday.

“The Budget Committee has initiated a programme to have the public give their views on the formula beginning this Friday,” said Mbau, who is the chairman of the Budget Committee.