Deputy President William Ruto has asked governors to shelve their plans for court action over the Division of Revenue Bill stalemate and embrace dialogue.
The two Houses are divided over the crucial 2019 bill – while senators are pushing for the 47 counties to be allocated Sh335 billion, their counterparts in the National Assembly want them to get Sh310 billion.
In Tharaka-Nithi County on Saturday, Dr Ruto said moving to court is not a solution and that it will likely make matters worse.
The DP further said he held talks with county, Senate and national government leaders agreed on that they agreed to publish the bill again next week to ensure the money the two governments share is realised from local collections.
He said they could not share money that was not available.
“Both the national and county governments have waited a long time to resolve the impasse. There is no need to wrangle as a solution was about to be found,” he said in Tharaka constituency where he commissioned Tharaka Technical Training Institute.
“There is no need to take the drastic step of moving to court. I would like to persuade county governments to wait because we have already structured engagements among counties, the national government, the Senate and the National Assembly because that is what the Constitution anticipate. “There will be a discussion for the success of devolution.”
He also said there was no need to waste money paying lawyers while Kenyans await service delivery.
Governors and senators are planning to hold a protest march to the National Assembly to demand an explanation on why they are opposed to the release of funds to devolved units.
County chiefs who spoke in Kakamega on Friday complained about perennial delays by the National Treasury, noting lack of funds has hampered development.
The Council of Governors claimed the National Assembly is being used by the national government to frustrate the implementation of devolution which is meant to spur development at the grassroots level.
Chairman Wycliffe Oparanya (Kakamega) said counties are staring at a dark future because they do not have funds to perform any function.
He warned that they will not manage to pay June salaries should assemblies fail to agree on the bill on time.
On politics, DP Ruto asked leaders to stop politicking and concentrate on serving Kenyans.
He asked all Jubilee leaders to follow the counsel of President Uhuru Kenyatta on unity and service delivery, instead of wasting time on campaigns for the 2022 general election.
Dr Ruto said there is no need for politics of division and hatred as it will create animosity.
At the burial of lawyer, politician and business Karanja Kabage on Friday, President Uhuru Kenyatta asked leaders to imitate his hardworking nature by concentrating on development and ending focus on political matters surrounding the next vote.
The President asked politicians to “stop this endless politics because it is not helping us in anyway” and because it’s time has not yet come.
The DP was accompanied by leaders including Senate Deputy Speaker Kithure Kindiki, Tharaka-Nithi Deputy Governor Nyamu Kagwima, former Tharaka-Nithi Governor Samuel Ragwa, Woman Representative Beatrice Nkatha and Meru Senator Mithika Lintuli,
Others were MPs Gitonga Murugara (Tharaka), Kareke Mbiuki (Maara), Patrick Munene (Chuka/Igambang’ombe) and Mpuru Aburi (East African Legislative Assembly).
Tharaka-Nithi Governor Muthomi Njuki, who usually attends DP Ruto’s meetings in the county, was absent.
