This archive report was first published on 15 July 2019.
On Monday, July 15, 2019, a group of governors, led by Council of Governors Chairperson Wycliffe Oparanya, forced their way into the Supreme Court in Nairobi to seek an advisory opinion on the Division of Revenue Bill 2019.
The governors accused the National Treasury and the National Assembly of holding county governments hostage, claiming that the allocated funds were insufficient to implement the devolution agenda.
Chanting protest songs, the governors marched from Hotel Intercontinental to the Supreme Court, where they were blocked from accessing the court's premises. The protest included Mwangi wa Iria (Murang'a), Anyang' Nyong'o (Kisumu), Kivutha Kibwana (Makueni), and Martin Wambora (Embu), as well as MCAs from various counties.
Senators had initially allocated counties Sh335 billion, but this amount was reduced to Sh327 billion by the National Assembly. MPs subsequently reduced the amount to Sh310 billion, citing lack of funds to meet the governors' demands.
“It is for this reason the council of governors has today resorted to seek intervention of the Supreme Court,” Governor Oparanya told journalists.
