Let's go for one man one kilometre formula, MP Mbai urges

Says one man one vote will be unfair to vast, sparsely populated regions

In Summary
  • Mbai said he will rally North Eastern and Coastal counties to denounce Gachagua’s proposal.
  • He said the mantra being pushed by some leaders from Mt. Kenya would be a big blow to some regions.
Kitui East MP Nimrod Mbai addresses the media at a Kitui Hotel after a meeting with UDA grassroots leaders on June 8, 2024.
Kitui East MP Nimrod Mbai addresses the media at a Kitui Hotel after a meeting with UDA grassroots leaders on June 8, 2024.
Image: SCREENGRAB

Kitui East MP Nimrod Mbai wants the size of the counties to be a major factor in determining allocations of national government resources to the regions.

The United Democratic Alliance party (UDA) lawmaker proposed that the country adopt one man, one shilling, one-kilometre revenue-sharing formula.

He said the conversation on one man, one shilling, one vote should be changed to one man, one shilling, one kilometre.

"We are totally against the one man, one shilling formula. Let it be one man, one kilometre, one shilling," said Mbai.

According to Mbai, Kitui County is vast and sparsely populated and therefore, the mantra being pushed by some leaders from Mt Kenya region would be a big blow to them.

The second-term MP said they will rally together with North Eastern and Coastal counties to denounce Gachagua’s proposal which he described as a divisive formula.

"This formula is very divisive and should be condemned overwhelmingly," said Mbai. "We want a formula that takes into consideration the issue of geographical area so that our Governor of Kitui can get an extra Sh8 billion,” he said.

The lawmaker said that if the geographical area aspect is put into consideration, constituencies in Kitui will be able to get Sh300 million up from Sh150 million.

Mbai spoke at a Kitui Hotel after a meeting with UDA grassroots leaders ahead of the party elections slated for June 28 2024. He is vying for the party's Kitui county chairman position.

Speaking in a separate occasion in Makueni, Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse weighed in on Gachagua’s proposal saying: "If implemented, Makueni county will lose Sh658 million, Machakos will lose Sh1.2 billion, while Kitui will get less by Sh770 million."

"Let us also consider the levels of poverty, development, and geographical area in any successive formulas," said Mutuse.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki and his Roads counterpart Kipchumba Murkomen have hit out at proponents of one man, one vote, one shilling revenue-sharing formula accusing them of misleading Kenyans.

Kindiki said leaders pushing for the adoption of the formula do not understand its implications to the future of the country.

Murkomen said those supporting the one man, one vote, one shilling revenue-sharing formula are enemies of the unity of Kenya.

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