Intimidation? Jubilee To Crack Whip On Senators Who Defied Uhuru On Revenue Vote

Senate Chief Whip Irungu Kang’ata now says that the Jubilee party will take action against its senators who voted against government position on revenue sharing formula debate on Tuesday.

During the heated debate, a section of Jubilee Senators shot down a motion to defer the disputed revenue sharing formula proposed by the Murang’a senator.

Kang’ata, in a calculative move to persuade those opposing the formula to endorse it, sought to amend the report by the Finance and Budget Committee to push forward the commencement date of the formula by two years.

The committee has proposed the new formula takes effect in 2021-22, but the chief whip wanted it to commence in 2022-23.

Appearing on Citizen TV on Tuesday night, after the session, Kang’ata said Jubilee allied MPs who oppose a government position should expect sanctions.

Read: The Ongoing Revenue Formula Debate is Unnecessarily Divisive – DP William Ruto

“There were some senators who are in positions of leadership in the party who decided on their own motion to go against the official position of the government. We expect some remedial action to be taken against them,” he said.

“I have no doubt that that very soon we shall be cracking the whip of the party against those who went against the official government business that was before the House.”

Among Senators who opposed the motion and likely to be targeted are Johnson Sakaja (Nairobi), Kithure Kindiki (Tharaka-Nithi), Kipchumba Murkomen (Elgeyo Marakwet), Anwar Loitiptip (Lamu), Fatuma Dullo (Isiolo), Wario Juma (Tana River) and Mohamud Mohamed (Mandera).

Read Also: Raila Supports Population-driven Revenue Sharing Formula, Tells Senators To End Stand-off

The chief whip’s remarks have been interpreted by critics as intimidations to force Senators to succumb to the Executive’s pressure to support the population-driven formula that according to the leaders will see many needy counties lose funds.

The Senate will reconvene next week Tuesday to debate on a motion by Sakaja to counter the disputed one fronted by the House Finance and Budget Committee.

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