NAIROBI, Kenya, Sept 3 – The Council of Governors has threatened to shut county operations if the revenue share formula stand-off will not have been resolved by September 17.
CoG Chairman Wycliffe Oparanya said if the crisis persists, the council will have no option but shut operations and send workers on leave “until an amicable solution on the issue is reached.”
Counties have remained cash strapped for several months after the Senate failed to agree on what formular should be used by the national government to disburse funds to counties.
For more than 10 sessions, the Senate failed to come up with the formula, leading to the formation of a 12-member committee which has also failed to find a solution on how the Sh316.5 billion allocated to counties should be shared.
Oparanya said the Council is disappointed by the Senate for failing to build consensus on an acceptable revenue sharing formula- as a result delaying the implementation of the County Allocation Revenue Act, 2020.
“In this regard, if the prevailing situation persists, effective September 17 counties will have no choice but to shut down,” Oparanya said, “therefore, all county government services will not be available.”
The Council has also threatened to initiative a petition to dissolve the Senate over the persistent crisis.
“We hereby forewarn the Senate that a Petition for its dissolution can be initiated by any member of the public through the High Court as provided for under Article 258 of the Constitution,” Oparanya warned.
Employees in counties have gone without salaries for several months, including medical workers at a critical COVID-19 period.
“It is unfortunate that County Governments are unable to even pay the salaries and allowances of our health workers who remain in the frontline to save lives of Kenyans,” he said.
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