House picks MPs to negotiate Revenue Bill with Senate team
The National Assembly has moved to dissolve the stalemate over the Division on Revenue Bill 2015, which threatens to affect budget preparation by county governments.
Speaker Justin Muturi appointed three MPs who will negotiate with a similar number of Senators the Bill which was sent to the Mediation Committee after MPs reject amendments by the Senate.
Budget and Appropriations Committee chairman Mutava Musyimi, his vice-chairperson Mary Emasse and Ruaraka MP Tom Kajwang were appointed to the Mediation Committee to negotiate a common ground on the Bill.
The Division on Revenue Bill divides resources raised between the national and county governments.
It is until this Bill is passed that the Senate can consider the County Allocation of Revenue Bill which shares money allocated to the 47 devolved governments.
Counties will then use the allocations contained in the County Allocation of Revenue Bill to draw their individual budgets for the coming financial year.
Compromise
The Senate, which reconvenes from recess next Tuesday will be required to appoint three members to sit with their National Assembly counterparts to arrive at a compromise over the rejected Sh7.44 billion increment to county governments allocation proposal in the 2015/16 financial year.
MPs adopted the report by the Budget Committee rejecting the proposed increase to counties from Sh284 billion to Sh291 billion.
The lawmakers also rejected a Senate proposal to increase conditional allocation to Level 5 hospitals by Sh1.5 billion without clearly indicating how the figure was derived.
MPs also questioned the proposed Sh4.4 billion conditional increment allocation to the County Emergency Fund.
“In effect, these increments to Level 5 Hospitals and County Emergency Fund result to total increase of Sh5.9 billion above the initial Division of Revenue Bill provided for county allocations.
Mr Muturi directed that the nominees should build consensus and tabled a mediated Bill within 30 days.
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