Members of Parliament (MPs) and Senators have yet again clashed over the amount that should be disbursed to the counties in the Financial Year 2025/2026.
In a meeting on Monday, June 16, 2025, the Mediation Committee on the Division of Revenue Bill, 2025, sought to harmonise the proposals by the two Houses, which have a difference of close to Ksh60 billion.
The National Assembly wants the counties to be allocated Ksh405.1 billion for the 2025/2026 Financial Year, while the Senate wants the devolved units to be allocated Kshs465 billion.
According to Mandera Senator Ali Roba, the counties should be allocated Kshs435 billion as shareable revenue in a compromise agreement.
The senators argue that all additional functions transferred from the national government to county governments should be accompanied by the necessary funding to ensure that counties are adequately resourced.
“In the current budget, Ksh2 billion has been allocated to provide maternity services in level 3 and 4 hospitals. Primary healthcare is devolved and, therefore, this money should be sent to the counties,” Migori Senator Eddy Oketch submitted.
The same was echoed by Elgeyo Marawet William Kisang’ who wants the 2023/2024 audit report, which is the last audited accounts submitted by the Auditor General, as the basis for the county’s shareable revenue.
Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale, on the other hand, explained that the Senate is not seeking an additional allocation for counties so that the national government’s state departments can lose, but pushing so that counties can be given what is rightfully theirs.
However, according to Alego Usonga MP Sam Atandi, with the current financial constraints that the country’s economy is experiencing, it would be hard to allocate Kshs435 billion to counties.
The MPs submitted that since the Finance Bill 2025 is not generating much revenue for the country, it would be catastrophic to allocate more money to counties, which we do not currently have.
“The finance bill is not generating much revenue. Where will we get the additional funds? Let us give counties what is reasonable,” Aldai MP Marianne Kitany posed.
Kilifi MP Owen Baya urged the Senate not to work with figures but reality and allocate what is available to counties, not what they ought to receive.
“With the current inflation and economic crisis, we need to think through so that we can settle on a reasonable figure,” Mombasa Woman Representative Zamzam Mohamed said.
The meeting ended with the Senate demanding Ksh428 billion, while the National Assembly suggested Ksh409.5 billion as the county’s equitable share.
Francis Muli
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