Kenya’s governors have issued a stern warning that they may boycott future Division of Revenue Bill (DoRB) negotiations, decrying what they term as a ceremonial and predetermined process that fails to reflect the realities of devolution.
Led by Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi, the Chairperson of the Council of Governors (CoG), the county chiefs expressed frustration that their input is repeatedly ignored during the critical talks that determine county revenue allocations.
“It loses all meaning if the national government unilaterally decides county allocations. Our input must be meaningful, not ceremonial,” Governor Abdullahi said during a press briefing.
Disputed Revenue Allocations
In their proposals, the CoG had pushed for Sh536 billion for counties for the 2025/26 financial year. The National Treasury, however, allocated only Sh405 billion, a figure that closely mirrors its initial position despite negotiations.
The Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA) recommended Sh417 billion, and the Senate had proposed Sh465 billion, but governors say all these fall short, given the costing of devolved functions.
“Senators must reject any increment that falls below what was costed during the unbundling of devolved functions. Settling for less than Sh150 billion worth of transferred responsibilities is unacceptable,” Abdullahi emphasized.
Governors Slam Senate and IBEC Process
The governors accused the Senate of failing to champion county interests in the mediation process and criticized the Intergovernmental Budget and Economic Council (IBEC) for retaining the National Treasury’s figure despite earlier discussions.
“The Senate has not stamped its authority in the DoRB negotiations. When things go wrong, they shift the blame to governors—yet we don’t even have a seat at the table during mediation,” Abdullahi lamented.