For the ninth time Senators yesterday evening failed yet again to resolve the revenue allocation formula to the 47 counties.
Senators couldn’t agree on the way forward in resolving the stalemate forcing them to appoint a 12-member committee to look into the matter again before another special sitting is held at a later date.
Wajir county Senator Dr Abdullahi Ali alias Kabreta who has been nicknamed ‘top General’ for fighting for the counties not to lose even a Shilling delivered a powerful and emotional speech during the debate.
His strongly worded remarks on the floor of the house was historic on his political career and to kenyans at large.
Sen. Kabreta said “In 1998 Mr Speaker Sir, when i was in the national assembly we witnessed what was happening in the state then, do we really want to go back to that state of affairs again? that is exactly what is happening today and i am sorry to say that”. Sen. Kabreta said in reference to the three senators who had earlier been arrested. Senators Cleophas Malala (Kakamega), Christopher Lang’at (Bomet) and Steve Lelegwe (Samburu) were arrested and barred from attending the Senate’s special sitting to ensure a proposal by nominated Senator Petronila Were sails through, only for it to flop at the eleventh hour.
Dr Ali confirmed that during the dark days, he was in the ruling party KANU, but had rebelled and experienced rough time like what the three senators went through. “Now i am an old man and i thought after going through all those problems which culminated in the removal of section 2A of the constitution and ushered in multiparty system, we are going back to the same era”, he pointed out.
Dr Abdullahi, who has come out as a powerful senator, said even if Senators failed to agree on the revenue formula for the monies to be allocated to the Counties, constitutionally 50% from the budget can be released.
The Senator condemned in the strongest terms possible the cruel arrest of the three senators by the security officers.
The senator said he is from the ruling Jubilee party and in President Uhuru Kenyatta’s wing of kieleweke faction but was opposed to the current revenue formula which Senators are being forced to endorse. “I don’t want my county to lose even a coin, arrest all of us and put us in jail if we are doing anything wrong because of opposing this revenue allocation formula”, the senator said in his powerful remarks on the floor of the house.
Senator Dr Abdullahi came out boldly to fight for the counties, his Wajir included to ensure they lose no money.
