Mediation Committee on Division of Revenue at the National Assembly came to a standstill due to lack of quorum which was required to carry on the debate on revenue allocation to the Counties.
Besides two, Senators deliberately evaded the sitting over unknown reasons, challenging the chairman of the committee, and Kikuyu Member of Parliament Kimani Ichungwa to adjourn the meeting to September 11.
“Quorum of Members of NA who shall be present to take part in the sitting of a mediation committee shall be a third of those members and no sitting of the committee shall be validly constituted unless there is also present a like quorum of the senate, so legally we’re not properly constituted and we may not proceed with the business.” Said Ichungwa.
Suna East Member of Parliament Junet Mohamed castigated the senators for snubbing the important debate, stating that they should be ones on the forefront trying to protect the interest of Counties.
“All MPs are here and in accordance with the constitution, it is very clear that senate has no any other business other than protecting the interest of Counties. We know counties don’t have money but when people who have singular duty of protecting interest of Counties don’t show up, it tells Kenyans where the problem lies” Said Mr. Mohamed.
In the Wednesday’s meeting, members were supposed to strike a compromise on the Division of Revenue 2019 Bill that has been a thorny issue for almost two months now, with both MPs and Senators maintaining hardline positions on how much money should be allocated to the devolved units.
Last week, the Council of Governors Chairman Wycliffe Oparanya pleaded with the team to set aside their differences and resolve the issue that has seen MPs stuck at Sh316 billion, with Senators insisting that they will not take anything less than Sh335 billion.
Oparanya said the close to two-month fall-out over the cash row if allowed to persist, will lead to a total shut down of services in the counties even as he insisted that Governors are backing the implementation of allocation of Sh335 billion shareable revenue as recommended by the Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA).
