The Senate convened a special sitting today, Friday, to deliberate on crucial revenue legislation that will steer the allocation of national resources to counties and marginalised regions across Kenya. The session, summoned by Speaker Amason Kingi under Standing Order 33(1), follows a formal request by Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruyiot and was backed by the necessary number of senators.
At the heart of the agenda is the Equalisation Fund Appropriation Bill (Senate Bills No. 7 of 2025), a critical legislative piece designed to channel resources to areas classified as marginalised. The bill seeks to address historic inequalities in access to basic services like water, roads, health, and electricity in underdeveloped regions, in line with Article 204 of the Constitution.
Another pivotal item is the County Allocation of Revenue Bill (Senate Bills No. 9 of 2025), which lays out the equitable formula for distributing national revenue among Kenya’s 47 counties. This bill is essential for ensuring that county governments receive their fair share of funding to deliver devolved services effectively.
Also scheduled for debate is the County Governments Additional Allocations (No. 2) Bill (Senate Bills No. 8 of 2025), which provides supplementary funds to counties for implementing specific national government functions. These funds aim to strengthen intergovernmental collaboration and ensure the successful rollout of projects that fall within both levels of government.
The Senate will additionally consider the Report of the Mediation Committee on the Division of Revenue Bill (National Assembly Bills No. 10 of 2025), along with the final agreed version of the bill. This mediation process was necessary to reconcile differences between the National Assembly and the Senate regarding the overall revenue share between the two levels of government.
Any other urgent matters or official messages from the National Assembly or County Assemblies may also be addressed during this sitting.
Once today’s proceedings conclude, the Senate is expected to adjourn until Tuesday, July 8, 2025, at 2:30 PM, in accordance with its calendar. The outcomes of today’s sitting are anticipated to significantly impact the operations and service delivery capacity of county governments across the country
