The Council of Governors (CoG) Chairman Governor Wycliffe Oparanya on Friday afternoon announced the lifting of the shutdown directive issued to all 47 counties.
Oparanya called for the resumption of services across the country a day after the Senate reached a deal and a subsequent announcement by the National Treasury CS Ukur Yattani pledging immediate release of funds.
CS Yatani on Friday said Treasury would disburse Ksh60 billion to Counties by Monday, September 21, 2020 after Senators unanimously agreed on a revenue division formula.
The CS indicated that the funds would be received by Monday once President Uhuru Kenyatta assents to the county revenue allocation bill on Friday.
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President Kenyatta was on Friday on an inspection trip at the Samburu Military Training Area and no communication had been issued as at 1630 hours regarding the assent.
On Thursday Senators ended the revenue sharing impasse, agreeing to a formula born out of deliberations by a 12-member committee that was co-chaired by Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula and his Nairobi counterpart Johnson Sakaja.
County governors had treated to shut down all non-essential services due to lack of funds. Governor Oparanya came under sharp criticism at the Senate after he issued the directive allowing governors to shut down counties.
Senate Majority Chief Whip Irungu Kang'ata faulted the move by governors to shut down operations. “It is unfortunate that governors have taken this angle. We are almost completing this issue,” he told the Star.
Kang'ata asked why the CoG did not raise the issue during a meeting with President Uhuru Kenyatta and the Senate leadership on Tuesday.
“Yesterday [Tuesday], we met at State House and the Council of Governors' chair was present,” he said.
