MPs reject senators’ push for extra Sh60 billion allocation to counties

The National Assembly has rejected the amendments by senators to the Division Revenue Bill 10 of 2025.

In a motion tabled by the Assembly Majority leader and the Kikuyu Member of Parliament, Kimani Ichung’wa, the legislators voted No, refusing to increase the allocation to devolved units by Ksh 60 billion.

While tabling the motion, Ichung’wa claimed that the request by the Senate is not viable to hike the allocation currently.
The majority leader cited the Country’s tight fiscal position, adding that there cannot be a significant deviation from the figures that had been earlier passed by the National Assembly.

“This Division of Revenue Bill, approved by the House, had about Sh405 billion, and the Senate amended that to about Sh465 billion. That is an increase of about Sh60 billion above what is agreed, and bearing in mind the fiscal space of the country, it may not be practical to increase,” he stated, adding Mpthat an early mediation would help resolve the standoff and ensure timely passage of the Bill.

“I therefore urge this House to reject in totality this proposal by the Senate,” he called upon his colleagues.

While seconding the motion, Funyula MP Oundo Mudenyo said the Senate ought to have even proposed a reduction instead of an
increment, as he said the country does not have enough resources to cater for the proposed increment by the upper house.

After the rejection of the amendments by the Senators, the Bill will now proceed to the mediation committee as stipulated in Article 113 of the Constitution.

The Committee, which comprises members from both houses, will then reconcile the differences to avoid delays in the budgeting process.

It is the outcome of the committee that will determine how much counties will receive and if national budget remains on track for timely implementation. Last year, the two Houses also differed over the allocation to the devolved units.