National Assembly, Senate required to file DoRB report at Supreme Court
By Christopher Owuor, September 23, 2019The National Assembly and the Senate were required to have filed in the Supreme Court the mediation report that resolved the controversial Division of Revenue Bill 2019 (DoRB) that finally received presidential assent last week.
The six-member bench, chaired by Chief Justice David Maraga (pictured), had issued yesterday’s deadline to the two Houses after governors sought redress for the impasse.
The closed-door mediations opened the way for the disbursement of Sh316 billion to the devolved units, which have suffered financial difficulties during the prolonged abortive negotiations.
However, Chairman of Council of Governors, Wycliffe Oparanya, has insisted that the Supreme Court should intervene in the incessant wars between the National Assembly and the Senate regarding the division of finances from the national government to counties.
The budget-making process for counties takes place between September and June.
The Senate and National Assembly must first concur on the financial quantum before presidential assent sanctions disbursement of the funds to counties.
Lawyers Sam Mwendwa and Wangechi Thanji, representing the Speaker of the National Assembly and Senate, Justin Muturi and Ken Lusaka respectively, were expected to file the mediation report with the Supreme Court by close of business yesterday.
They had been directed to provide copies of the report to all the parties participating in the case.