The revised version of the Division of Revenue Bill 2019 allocating counties Sh316 billion will be tabled in the Senate on Tuesday for concurrence before it will be submitted to President Kenyatta for accent/FILE
NAIROBI, Kenya Sep 9 – The National Assembly and the Senate reconvenes on Tuesday with a full in tray, with the dispensation of the Division of Revenue Bill 2019 among the Houses’ priority agendas.
MPs will be keen to hasten the passage of the revised Division of Revenue Bill 2019 after Senators last week halted their clamor for more funds in the counties, a concession that was attributed to the need to avert a looming crisis in counties.
The over three-month stalemate witnessed Senators locks horns with their colleagues in the National Assembly over which amount of shareable revenue should be allocated to counties.
In a tussle that saw three sittings by a 18-member mediation committees flop, Senators were demanding Sh335 billion, an amount recommended by the Commission on Revenue Allocation.
National Assembly members, however, were adamant to give in to the Senators demands, insisting that Sh316 billion was the available allocation for the counties.
Interventions by President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto to resolve the impasse also on numerous occasions hit a snag, with the former cautioning that the government had no additional resources to give to the counties.
Yielding, Senate Majority Leader Kipchumba Murkome and his minority counterpart James Orengo vowed to sustain the clamor for more funds to counties in courts to avert future differences between the two chambers of parliament who have over the years been embroiled in supremacy wars.
The revised version of the Division of Revenue Bill 2019 allocating counties Sh316 billion will be tabled in the Senate on Tuesday for concurrence before it will be submitted to President Kenyatta for accent.
According to the National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi, the Bill is likely to be accented into law by Thursday.
Other Bills that have been earmarked for consideration and subsequent passage include: The Finance Bill, 2019, County Governments (Amendment) Bill and the Copyright (Amendment) Bill, 2017.
The Finance Bill 2019 seeks to provide mechanisms for revenue-raising measures to finance the budget.
The National Assembly will also analyze the Copyright (Amendment) Bill, 2017 especially after artistes in the country petitioned President Kenyatta lamenting of being shortchanged by the Music Copyright Society of Kenya on payment of royalties.
The House will also vet and approve President Kenyatta’s nominees to the National Land Commission.
Last month, President Kenyatta nominated Gershom Otachi Bw’omanwa, a Managing Partner at a Nairobi-based law firm, as Chairperson of the National Land Commission (NLC).
READ: Kenyatta nominates Gershom Otachi Bw’omanwa as NLC Chairperson
Otachi was among 11 candidates shortlisted for the position of NLC Chairperson which fell vacant in February after Mohammad Swazuri’s six-year term came to an end.
The House will also prioritize the passage of the Public Finance Management (Amendment) Bill, 2019, to allow counties to access at least 15 per cent of all revenue collected by the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) in an event parliament delays passing Division of Revenue Bill.
The House will also consider the President’s reservations to the Parliamentary Service Bill, 2019.
The President rejected the controversial Bill that gives the MPs enhanced perks.
Also due for consideration by the National Assembly is Representation of Special Interest Groups Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2019.
The proposed laws seek to compel the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to ensure that party lists comply with the requirements of the Constitution on fair representation.
Senators will trail their guns in considering the Care and Protection of Child and Parent Bill.
The Bill, which is coming up for First reading, ensures that a child-parent’s education is not cut off due to early pregnancy.
The House will also pass the Establishment of Children’s Home Bill as well the Control of Stray Bill that seeks to compel to compel dog owners to vaccinate the animals. Both Bills are coming up for Second reading.
Next week, the Senate will hold its second sittings outside the capital, Nairobi, in Kitui County.
About The Author
