Governors Threaten To Shut Down County Operations Over Revenue Stalemate

Governors have threatened to paralyze county operations from September 16, if the current revenue standoff is not resolved.

In a statement on Thursday,  Wycliffe Oparanya, Council of Governors Chairman, stated that counties are cash-strapped and if the stalemate over the 2019 Division of Revenue bill is not resolved the governors will have no choice but to shut down all county operations.

“The County Governments will not be able to pay salaries at end of this month going forward. Beyond, the 16th of September 2019, if the matter is not resolved the County Governments will have no option but to shut down,” read the statement.

For months now, the National Assembly and the Senate have failed to agree on the amount of money to be disbursed to counties.

This is after the Members of Parliament (MPs) offered counties Ksh316.5 billion, an amount the senate says should be reviewed to Ksh335.6 billion.

The stalemate forced governors to move to court seeking its guidance over the matter.

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The matter has been tabled before a mediation committee comprised of representatives from both houses.

Last month, Kenya County Workers Union Secretary Union Roba Duba said the governors should just accept the amount offered by the national assembly to avert an impending crisis at the counties.

“You can’t ask for what is not there, accept what has been offered because naturally resources can never be enough just work with what is available,” said Duba.

On his part, President Uhuru Kenyatta urged the two houses to end the revenue standoff saying no extra money will be allocated to counties.

Read Also: “Gov’t Has No Money” – Uhuru Dismisses Governors Call For More Revenue

Speaking during the burial of former Gatanga MP Peter Kenneth on July 25, the President called on the governors to be honest in their demands.

“The Constitution says we give a minimum of 15 per cent to counties. Within one year I took it to over 30 per cent.

“Why can you not pass the Bill so that people can get services. Reach an agreement so that we can release funds to counties,” said the President.

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