Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader Raila Odinga has accused members of the National Assembly of plotting a power grab through the Division of Revenue Amendment Bill.

Speaking during a press briefing in Nairobi on Friday, November 15, 2024, Raila said that the Division of the Revenue Amendment Bill has created a rift between the Senate and the National Assembly adding that the Members of Parliament want to implement and oversee projects.

Raila noted that if the MPs implement and oversee projects, they will be violating the constitution and the structure of governance.

“A major standoff is currently underway in the country between our two houses of parliament National Assembly and the Senate, on the surface this standoff is about the Division of Revenue Amendment Bill 2024 but in reality, it is about a power grab and an assault on the Constitution that members of the National Assembly want to execute and which amounts to the betrayal of the people and an overhaul of our structure of governance.

“The National Government Constituencies Funds and the National Government Affirmative Funds which are in the hands of the members of the National Assembly, these funds give the MPs the powers to conceive, implement projects and oversight them at the same time,” Raila said.

The former Prime Minister further urged the MPs to only carry out responsibilities assigned to them by the Constitution adding that it is unfair that governors are being blamed for lack of development in their counties.

“The Constitution assigns three roles to MPs; representation, legislation and oversight execution or implementation of a program, parliament makes laws and ensures that they are implemented and followed.

“I find it very unfair that governors are being blamed for lack of development in their counties. Members of Parliament should move away from trying to carry out responsibilities of the county government,” he added.

Raila on revenue allocation

Raila disclosed that the MPs are attempting to determine the amount of funds allocated despite the clear constitutional provision on revenue sharing.

In addition, he noted that the parliamentarians are also eying for more executive projects at the county level.

“Having managed to entrench these anomalies, the MPs are now attempting to determine the amount of money counties get despite the clear constitutional provision on revenue sharing, the Members of the National Assembly are also skimming to deep their figures to more executive projects like road mountainous revenue funds at the national constituency level in addition to National Constituency Development Fund and the National Government Affirmative Fund,” he added.

He went on to say that the MPs are in support of the provision that seeks to lower the amount sharable to counties against the recommendations of the Senate adding that the move is not only illegal but unconstitutional.

“The National Assembly is in support of the provision that will lower the amount of money sharable to counties against the provision of the laws established since the coming of the devolved units, they are pushing for the proposed amendment of the division of Revenue Act in which they recommend three hundred and eighty billion allocations to counties which it stands in contrast to a four hundred billion which is currently enforced.

“The revenue allocation to counties can only go up and not down unless the intention is to kill devolution, the law is clear the counties get 15 per cent of the national revenue,” he stated.