“Respect My Position As A Backbencher, ” Murkomen Tells Off Irungu Kang’ata As Revenue Row Intensifies

Former Senate Majority Leader Kipchumba Murkomen is not taking kindly words of Majority Whip Irungu Kang’ata regarding the contentious third-generation basis formula on revenue sharing among counties.

The Murang’a senator had on Tuesday morning accused Murkomen of attempting to deny his county and Nyeri funds with a new formula proposed by Meru counterpart Franklin Mithika Linturi.

“Linturi and Murkomen new formula wants to punish Muranga and Nyeri counties.Why ? What wrong have we done to you?” tweeted Kang’ata.

In a rejoinder that may further fuel the “sibling” rivalry in the ruling party Jubilee, Murkomen told off the Senator urging him to concentrate on his new role and lead the house in solving the revenue stalemate.

“Stop your obsession with me. You are now in leadership. Respect my position as a backbencher and LEAD!” said Murkomen.

Read:The Ongoing Revenue Formula Debate is Unnecessarily Divisive – DP William Ruto

Stop your obsession with me. You are now in leadership. Respect by position as a backbencher and LEAD ! https://t.co/YZA4RX5ZjY

— KIPCHUMBA MURKOMEN, E.G.H (@kipmurkomen) August 11, 2020

Last week, Murkomen rallied Senators to vote in favour of a motion to postpone a debate on the population-driven formula on revenue sharing for record seventh time.

Read Also: Raila Supports Population-driven Revenue Sharing Formula, Tells Senators To End Stand-off

Despite Kang’ata opposing the motion, 34 Senators supported it while 26 voted against. Busia Senator Amos Wako registered an abstention.

Murkomen received overwhelming support from like-minded senators under the ‘Kenya Moja‘ axis comprising among others Johnson Sakaja (Nairobi), Mutula Kilonzo (Makueni) and Ledama ole Kina (Narok).

The lawmakers argue that under the state-sponsored formula “poor” counties, especially in the North-Eastern region, are losing funds. Some counties like Murkomen’s Elgeyo Marakwet are gaining funds in the formula.

Sakaja proposed an amendment to the Finance Committee’s formula seeking to use allocation to each county in the last financial year as a baseline for present and future share of the county share, and any increased resources be subject to a new formula.

Read Also: Intimidation? Jubilee To Crack Whip On Senators Who Defied Uhuru On Revenue Vote

The Nairobi Senator, however, agreed to merge his amendments with Linturi’s proposals.

Under the Sakaja and Linturi new proposal, the amount shared to counties shall range between Ksh250 billion and Ksh270 billion.

The balance from the available Ksh316 billion shareable revenue will then be distributed among counties based on an amendment tabled by Sakaja in the Senate.

The Senate will reconvene today to debate on the revenue formula proposals.

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