Raila wades into county allocations standoff, accuses MPs of 'power grab'

By Moses Nyamori

ODM leader Raila Odinga is now accusing Members of Parliament of frustrating devolution following the ongoing standoff over additional Sh20 billion shareable revenue for counties.

This comes at a time when a mediation committee on the Division of Revenue (Amendment) Bill 2024 that draws equal membership from the National Assembly and the Senate, at a meeting on November 12, 2024, failed to agree on the figure that should be equitably allocated to the 47 counties. While the National Assembly wants Sh380 billion allocated to the counties, the Senate wants Sh400.1 billion as the push and pull between the two Houses threaten the financial situation in the devolved units.

At a press conference on Friday, Mr Odinga waded into the debate while accusing the National Assembly of overstretching its mandate by attempting to determine how much goes to the county governments.

He described the standoff as a power grab by the National Assembly, saying the fight is threatening to cripple operations of county governments. 

"The National Assembly is going all out to reduce revenue allocation to counties, in complete disregard of the Constitution and recommendations of the Senate," said Mr Odinga.

"This move is not only illegal and unconstitutional. It also sets an extremely dangerous precedent which, if allowed to stand, will lead to a slow but steady strangulation and eventual killing of counties," he added.

Mr Odinga spoke at his Capitol Hill offices in Nairobi on Friday.