Minister vows to block county fund allocation

Public Works assistant minister Mwangi Kiunjuri has vowed to challenge the criteria used to allocate funds to counties.

He wondered why counties such as Nairobi that had well developed infrastructure received the highest share, while others such as Isiolo, Laikipia and Lamu which were poorly developed received the least.

“I will be raising my opposition in Parliament and if that fails, I will move to court,” said the Laikipia East MP.

The criteria used by the Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA) to distribute Sh160 billion allocated to 47 county governments has sparked a heated debate among MPs.

In Mombasa, an aspirant for the governor seat, Mr Suleiman Shahbal said the Sh4.4 billion allocated to the county was “a joke” since it contributes over 20 per cent of the country’s revenue.

In a statement, Mr Shahbal urged local MPs to petition the government over the “unfair” allocation of revenue by CRA.

He wondered what criteria was used to give Nairobi Sh11.7 billion when its productivity was questionable and depended on other counties for survival.

“Mombasa should be allocated not less than Sh9 billion because of its contribution to the economy,” he said.

However, CRA maintains that population size as opposed to poverty levels is the main determinant of the amount allocated to each county.

Chairman of the Budget Committee, Mr Elias Mbau, asked his colleagues to be patient on the matter.

“They should hold their horses and make their input to the proposals through channels provided for in the Constitution,” said Mr Mbau.

“The formula that the CRA published, is not final,” he added.

On Sunday, Mr Kiunjuri said the formula was meant to entrench the gap between the rich and the poor.(READ: Counties set to gobble up Sh160bn each year)

Reports by John Njagi, Alphonce Shiundu and Mwakera Mwajefa