This archive report was first published on 16 July 2019.
On July 16, 2019, the Council of Governors filed a case at the Supreme Court seeking an advisory opinion to bring clarity to the financing of counties and related administrative and operational actions.
The move comes after the National Assembly and the Senate failed to agree on the amount of shareable revenues to be allocated to counties, with the National Assembly proposing Sh316 billion and the Senate rooting for Sh327 billion.
While the difference of Sh11 billion may seem insignificant, the stalemate has significant implications for the counties and the economy as a whole.
Devolution, which is explicitly guaranteed by the Constitution, is under threat from various circles, including those who never embraced it and would seek the slightest opportunity to undermine it.
It is incumbent on President Kenyatta to unlock the standoff through convening the Summit, which brings together governors and the national government, to agree on the allocations to the counties.
The National Assembly and the Senate must stop their obstructionist tendencies, which undermine devolution and ultimately harm the people who suffer when the counties fail to get cash.
