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{
"id": 1604309,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1604309/?format=api",
"text_counter": 264,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Mwaruma",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "In the Financial Year 2020/2021, we were called upon to share the same cake, but with a new basis, with a new formula. So, definitely, if we are sharing the same cake with a new formula, some counties would lose and others would gain. The counties that would lose were 19 in total, and Taita-Taveta County was one of them. However, as we were negotiating with others, I remember imploring the late Senator for Machakos County, whose county was gaining. We asked him, if he comes from the Lower Eastern region, and Makueni and Kitui counties were losing, why would he not support them, so that they do not lose money, since they were their ‘cousins?’ Sen. Kabaka, may God rest his soul in eternal peace, accepted to join the fray. We also spoke to Sen. Malala of Kakamega County, because his county was gaining while Vihiga County was losing. We requested him to join the fray, because their ‘cousins’ were also losing. I also like the magnanimity of the then Senator for Nairobi City County, Sen. Sakaja, and Sen. Murkomen, who agreed that much as their counties were gaining money in the new basis for sharing revenue, we were still one Senate of Kenya, whose sole role is to defend counties and their governments. So, they decided to support us. We started as 19 people, and at the end, we were 27. However, in the wisdom of the Hon. Raila Odinga, he said, we would divide the Senate and country across the middle. That, we would balkanize it to people who deserve to have more and others less money. So, when he talked to the then President, he agreed to add the shareable revenue, or have the Division of Revenue Act (DORA) pass the shareable revenue from Kshs316 billion to counties to Kshs370 billion, an increment of Kshs53.5 billion. I remember, my county then was supposed to lose Kshs400 million, but instead, it gained Kshs600 million, and got a leap from Kshs4.2 billion to Kshs4.8 billion, which was quite a leap. An increment in DORA of Kshs50 billion was the largest that I have ever seen in Kenya. Madam Temporary Speaker, I would like to thank the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Budget, led by a Hon. Roba, for ensuring that the new revenue sharing formula, or the Fourth Basis for sharing revenue, is not going to divide us. Previously, we could not even sleep. We could have people making calls from State House and all over Kenya, because they wanted us to vote. I remember my Governor calling me, telling me not to worry; that, I was not going to lose money that year, but I would get it the following year. I told him that was rubbish. How can he agree that we could lose Kshs400 million, since when you lose Kshs400 million, you are losing it for five years, and that is Kshs2 billion? I am happy that the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Budget has agreed to hold counties harmless by making sure that we share Kshs387.5 billion to all the counties using the Third Basis of sharing revenue, and the additional amount which will be determined by DORA, be shared using the new basis. Even when we use the new basis to share revenue, Taita-Taveta County will only get a leap from Kshs5.0 billion to Kshs5.25 billion, which is little money. Through negotiation, discussions and seducing the Members of the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Budget, they agreed to put Kshs2 billion, that would ensure that the 11 small counties in question, get at least some little money on top, and that is taking Taita Taveta at Kshs5.3 billion. That is still little, because our wage bill is at The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
}