By Hillary Mageka
The Council of Governors (COG) on Monday moved to Supreme Court following a cash crisis that has affected salaries of employees and disrupted delivery of key services in the counties.
The governors are seeking the apex court’s intervention in unlocking the impasse surrounding the Division of Revenue Bill (2019) after Senate and National Assembly failed to agree the amount to be allocated to the devolved units.
The stalemate has plunged county governments into financial disaster that has grounded their operations.
Addressing a press conference outside the Supreme Court premises, COG Chairman Wycliffe Oparanya said counties had completely shut down after they were denied their equitable share of revenue by the National Treasury.
“Today marks the 3rd week into the new Financial Year 2019/20 without an agreement on this stalemate. County governments have suspended their operations because they have no money to carry out their functions,” Oparanya said.
He was flanked by governors Mwangi wa Iria (Muranga), Martin Wambora (Embu), Nderitu Murithi (Laikipa), Amason Kingi (Kilifi), Ali Roba (Mandera) and Wilberforce Otichillo (Vihiga).
Other were Wycliffe Wangamati (Bungoma), Cornell Rasanga (Siaya), Anyang’ Nyong’o (Kisumu), Mutahi Kahiga (Nyeri), Paul Chepkwony (Kericho), James Ongwae (Kisii), Kivutha Kibwana (Makueni).
