The Council of Governors and the national government are deadlocked over the allocation of shareable revenue in the 2023/24 financial year.
Currently, the national government has allocated KSh 380 billion to the 47 counties as the shareable revenue.
However, governors want KSh 425 billion which is about 14.8 percent of the projected total revenue collection of KSh2.9 trillion.
However, on Thursday, February 2, the government stuck to its guns and affirmed that it won’t give more than the Sh380 billion it has offered counties as shareable revenue.
Speaking during the Senator’s Post-Election Seminar at Serena Beach Hotek in Mombasa, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua went bare knuckle on the governors telling them that the government was stone broke and that it won’t meet their demands.
“They (governors) are asking for KSh 425 billion. CRA is saying in our scheme of mathematics you can give KSh 407 billion…The national government is saying KSh 425 billion is good, we can give it to you but we don’t have it. KSh 407 billion is even better, but we don’t have it, we only have KSh 380 billion,
“So, if you want to hang us, we are helpless. If you want to remove our trousers and whip our backs, go ahead. We don’t have the money,” Gachagua said.
The second in command further challenged Members of Parliament to play their oversight role without fear saying the government was not averse to constructive criticism.
He implored senators to be fair while legislating on budget allocation and appropriation in order to ensure the Kenya Kwanza government does not burden the taxpayers.
Gachagua however promised that the county allocation would be reviewed once the President achieves the KSh 3 trillion revenue collection from the current KSh 2.2 trillion.
