Some constituencies in Mt Kenya are the biggest gainers in a new formula for sharing NG-CDF among the 290 electoral units.
Kinangop, Kieni, Mwea, Ruiru and Naivasha, which are among the top gainers, have been allocated Sh206 million each for the current financial year.
The only constituencies outside Mt Kenya that are in the group of top gainers are Bobasi in Kisii county and Kanduyi in Bungoma.
Data from the National Government Constituencies Development Fund board shows that the second big earners are a mix of various regions.
Constituencies in populous regions like Western form a chunk of the 23 constituencies that are set to get Sh197 million.
Rift Valley has also not been left out.
The constituencies tipped for the second highest allocation of Sh197 million include Turkana West, Cherangany, Soy, Mosop, Tiaty, Bureti, Malava, Hamisi, and Bumula.
Nyanza constituencies that have been allocated Sh197 million include Karachuonyo, Ndhiwa, Nyatike and Kuria West. Other big winners are Kisauni, Kinango, Kilifi North and Lamu West in the Coast region.
Wajir North, Wajir South, Moyale, Isiolo North, Machakos Town and Makueni are also in the category of top recipients.
The report points out that the highly populous regions have won big, falling squarely in the oneman-one-shilling mantra.
Population is a key determinant of constituency and ward boundaries and is used to determine their sizes.
Recently, the Commission on Revenue Allocation adopted a controversial revenue sharing formula for counties, giving preference to population.
The CRA gave more weight to population, a standard that has met stiff opposition by leaders from less populous regions.
The commission has assigned population the biggest weight at 42 per cent, departing widely from the current matrix where population factor is 18 per cent.
Under the new CRA formula, geographical size accounts for nine per cent of the share, up from eight per cent.
CRA boss Mary Chebukati, however, said the formula would be applied in a way that leaves no county disadvantaged, considering its current allocation.
For NG-CDF, the number of wards is to determine the extra amounts after the equal share.
Initially, the constituency money was shared equally among the 290 electoral units after deducting the amount – five per cent - set aside for the board to spend on administrative functions.
This year’s allocation has increased slightly to Sh54.8 billion from Sh53.23 billion that was allocated in the current financial year.
Had the old formula applied, the 2.3 per cent jump would have seen constituencies’ allocation increase to Sh179 million each.
However, the NG-CDF law was amended to provide that constituencies share 75 per cent of the allocated amounts equally and 25 per cent according to the number of wards.
As a result, the equal share for the year was Sh39 billion, from which each constituency got Sh134 million.
The remainder, which was Sh13 billion, was allocated based on the number of wards per constituency.
“Further analysis indicates that the proposed budget ceilings for each constituency will result in a slight increase in allocation per constituency in 2024-2025 financial year compared to the allocation in 2023-24 financial year for all constituencies,” the board said.
As some constituencies gain, at least 21 others are set for the lowest amount at Sh161 million from Sh157 million of the previous year.
They include Tetu, Ndia, Mathioya, Kangema, Subukia, Jomvu, Lamu West, Saku, Mbeere North, Kilome, Turkana East, Endebess, Ainabkoi, Mumias East, Sirisia, Webuye East, Ugunja and Bomachoge Chache.
The constituencies lost morethan Sh12 million compared to the time the old formula was applied.
Lawmakers are, however, divided on whether the formula has solved the challenges of equitable share of resources.
Whereas those who are gaining more welcome the move, there is unease among the constituencies in the lower tier.
Kitui Central MP Makali Mulu said that for vast regions like his backyard, the formula has helped solved the inequalities that the initial formula presented.
“It is generally fair. The constituencies should appreciate that there is some level of equity. It didn’t make sense for constituencies to get equal share yet some have wider geographical area of coverage,” Mulu said.
For the lawmaker, an economist, not all constituencies are the same, hence, resources cannot be allocated uniformly without being skewed in favour of other regions.
For those losing, the formula requires a further relook to bring in other factors such as level of poverty and livelihoods among other development aspects.
“We have been forced to cut down the number of development projects that we had intended. There is nothing we can do about this formula,” Sirisia MP John Walukhe said.
Others that lost include Lunga Lunga, Msambweni, Kaloleni, Rabai, Ganze, Galole, Wundanyi, Ijara, Wajir East, Tarbaj, Wajir West, Eldas, North Horr and Central Imenti.
Mwingi West, Kitui West, Kitui Rural, Mavoko, Kathiani, Kaiti, Kibwezi East, Ol Jororok, Kirinyaga Central, Mukurweini, Othaya, Kipipiri, Gatundu North, Gatundu South, Kiambu Town, Loima, Sigor, Keiyo North, Narok East constituencies also lost.
Kiambu Woman Rep GathoniWamuchomba has been championing the consideration of factors such as infrastructure, land size and poverty index when determining NG-CDF allocations.
She argued that densely populated constituencies have an influx of non-residents who end up straining the limited resources available for sharing.
Data shows that NG-CDF allocation has been increasing over the years, meaning the disparities are likely to persist in the long run.
Last year, the kitty was allocated Sh53 billion, up from Sh44 billion the previous year and the Sh41 billion of the three past years.
The allocations for 2019-20 was a jump of 25 per cent from the Sh33 billion that was allocated the year before.
For some lawmakers, the amounts only matter when the monies are wired on time for constituencies to spend them.
MPs have until June 30, 2026 before kitty ceases to exist, following a court verdict that the fund is unconstitutional.
Elected members were granted two years effective September 2024 to finish pending projects in their respective constituencies.
With the new formula, Rift Valley constituencies have been allocated Sh12.8 billion, Sh7.3 billion for Mt Kenya west, Sh4.49 billion for North Eastern, Sh2.9 billion for Mt Kenya east, Sh3.9 billion for Ukambani constituencies, Sh7.6 billion for Nyanza, Sh5.9 billion for Western, while Nairobi will get Sh3 billion.
