This archive report was first published on 15 August 2019.
Published on August 15, 2019, President Uhuru Kenyatta has cautioned governors against expecting more funds than the Sh316 billion allocated by the National Assembly in the contentious Division of Revenue Bill, 2019.
Speaking at the Nakuru County Assembly during the launch of the new Ugatuzi Plaza and a refurbished debating chamber constructed at a cost of Sh220 million, President Kenyatta advised governors to ensure prudent management of the funds sent to the counties and find ways to improve their own revenue collections.
The President pleaded with the Senate and the National Assembly to end the stalemate, noting that the National Government cannot give what it does not have. He emphasized that counties must learn to work with the available resources because there is no more money.
"It is unfortunate that everyday has turned out to a competition between the two Houses while Kenyans are now suffering the brunt of this standoff," Uhuru added.
"The resources are limited. Some people think that we operate as if money comes to us like rain. Let us take what we have. If the money they are demanding was there, I would not have objected," said Uhuru.
Governors and senators are seeking allocation of the entire Sh335 billion that the Commission on Revenue Allocation gave counties for the financial year 2019/2020. The President noted that the Constitution spells out that a minimum of 15 per cent should be given to the devolved governments, but within a year after he was elected in 2013, the figure has moved to nearly 30 per cent.
