Sakaja, Linturi to work together in a bid to end Division of Revenue impasse.

After the senate failed to resolve the Division of Revenue impasse for a seventh time on Tuesday August 4, senators have been looking for ways to end the current stalemate that has resulted in a near financial paralysis in the 47 counties.

A section of senators who describe themselves as like-minded led by the Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen, have on Friday August 7 moved to support an amendment sponsored by Meru Senator Mithika Linturi, which is a further amendment to the one sponsored by Nairobi senator Johnson Sakaja.

During a media address, the senators claim that the Linturi amendment seeks to retain most of the parameters in the Sakaja’s formula but will only reduce the revenue baseline from the proposed Sh316 billion to between Sh250 billion and Sh270 billion, with any amount above the agreed baseline subjected to the Sakaja formula.

“Anything above the agreed figure as indicated above shall be shared using the formula proposed by the committee,” Murkomen stated.

The group of senators further divulged that they had mandated Sakaja to work with his Meru counterpart to ensure that they burn the midnight oil and present the final document on or before Monday, August 10. 2020.

“Both Senators will agree on how to co-sponsor the approved version. We believe that the proposed solution(s) will bring to an end the prolonged debate on this matter and that on Tuesday, 11th August, 2020 the Senate will pass the final version unanimously,” they noted.

The Finance Committee formula prioritizes population over land mass, and as a result, 18 counties would have their share of the devolved revenue slashed, while 29 counties that are populous would have their allocation increased.

Senators are now trying to work on a formula that will ensure none of the counties will lose their share of the devolved funds.