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Leaders are still divided on whether the revenue sharing formula should be adopted or not.

The split seems even. On the one hand, some leaders are asking the Senate to pass the formula in its current form, on the other hand, other leaders are calling on President Uhuru Kenyatta and opposition chief Leader Raila Odinga to intervene to unlock the revenue.

Addressing a news conference yesterday, the Pastoralist Parliamentary Group (PPG) asked Uhuru  and Odinga to prevail upon their troops to look beyond their personal interests to make sure in today’s vote no county is “further marginalised”.

Led by Mandera North MP (Rtd) Maj Bashir Abdullahi, the 11 lawmakers praised the 25 senators who voted to reject what they termed as otherwise contentious, skewed and colonial formula in revenue sharing that is meant to target marginalised areas and disadvantage and disenfranchise and further harm deliberately a section of this country.

They were MPs Abdikarim Osman (Fafi), Ruweida Mohammed (Lamu Women rep), Mohammed Hire (Lagdera), Rehema Jaldesa (Isiolo Women rep), and Moyale’s Qalicha Gufu.

Others were Ahmed Bashane (Tarbaj), Sofia Sheikh (Marsabit Women rep), Ahmed Abdisalan (Wajir North) and Ali Wario (Garsen).

“We want to declare our maximum and unparalleled support for the patriotic legislators even as we prepare for the next sitting tomorrow (Tuesday),” they said in a press statement read by Abdullahi, who is also the Vice-Chairman of the caucus.

On her part, Isiolo Women representative Jaldesa Rehema contended that revenue sharing and allocation should be pegged on development needs and priorities but on the premised on equity and fairness.

In Murang’a County, Governor Mwangi Wa Iria urged the Senate to end the stalemate as counties are already feeling the pinch over delayed disbursement of the funds.

Wa Iria said the devolved units don’t have money to facilitate even the basic operations and this is affecting service delivery.

The governor, who doubles as the vice chair in the council of governors, said there could be a major setback in the fight against the corona pandemic as the devolved units don’t have money to facilitate this.

And at a separate press conference in a Nairobi hotel, The Mulembe Youth Movement while throwing their weight behind the formula, called out senators Cleophas Malala (Kakamega); Moses Wetangula (Bungoma), George Khaniri (Vihiga), Amos Wako (Busia) and Michael Mbito (Trans Nzoia) and warned them that their political careers depends on whether they will support the formuale.

Yesterday, youths from the Western region put the law makers on the spot accusing them of lacklustre with a sensitive matter.

“We urge the senators from the region to support the formula,” said the youth leaders. – Hilary Mageka, Wangari Njuguna and George Kebaso