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A National Assembly committee has rejected the Senate’s proposal to allocate counties Kes.415 billion in the next financial year.
The Budget and Appropriations Committee (BAC) deemed the increased allocation unfeasible and urged the House to reject it. BAC chairman Ndindi Nyoro urged the House to agree with the committee’s recommendation to reject the Senate amendment.
This development follows the Senate’s approval of an allocation of Kes..415 billion to counties, up from the Kes..391 billion passed by the National Assembly.
The Senate amended the Division of Revenue Bill, 2024, to enhance the allocation to Kes.415 billion.
Ndindi Nyoro noted that accepting the Senate’s allocation would result in a reduction in the National Government’s Constituency Development Fund (NGCDF) and the Road Maintenance Levy Fund.
Majority leader Kimani Ichung’wa concurred with the committee, highlighting that meeting the Senate’s demands would necessitate significant sacrifices in NGCDF and other affirmative funds.
“If we were to agree with the Senate this afternoon, if you give something, something else must give way. If we give Sh10 billion for road maintenance, you will sacrifice that money to your governors hoping that they will build the same roads that you want to do,” Ichung’wa remarked.
However, Minority Whip Junet Mohamed supported the Senate’s amendments, citing the transformative impact of devolution and the need for an enhanced allocation.
“The only money that Kenyans enjoy are monies that go to counties,” Junet asserted.
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