This archive report was first published on 15 July 2019.
On Monday, 15th July, the Council of Governors, accompanied by traditional dancers, marched from the Intercontinental Hotel to the Supreme Court in a protest.
The protest was a response to a row with the national government over revenue sharing, which has threatened to stall services in the devolved units.
On 19th July, the Supreme Court will hear the case tabled by the Council of Governors.
The dispute revolves around the Division of Revenue Bill, with the Senate and the National Assembly proposing different figures for the amount due to counties in the 2019/20 financial year.
The Council of Governors had proposed Ksh 344 billion, but settled on Ksh 335 billion after negotiations with the Commission of Revenue Allocation.
The National Assembly initially proposed Ksh 310 billion, later revising it to Ksh 316 billion, while the Senate insisted on Ksh 327 billion.
The National Treasury had proposed a reduction in county equitable share to KSh 310 billion, citing underperformance of revenue in the 2018/19 financial year.
The Council of Governors argues that this reduction has no legal basis, as it was not approved by Parliament, and contravenes the Division of Revenue Act 2018.
Speaking to reporters, Council of Governors Chairman Wycliffe Oparanya expressed satisfaction with the Supreme Court's response to the matter.
"The frustration that comes along with the failure of the senate and the national assembly to come to a consensus about the distribution of revenue bill is what brings us to the Supreme Court," Oparanya noted.
The Council of Governors seeks clarification from the court on the consequences of failure by the National Assembly and the Senate to agree on a version of the division of revenue bill.
The case will be mentioned on Friday, 19th July, 2019.
