'If you want to remove our trousers and whip us, go ahead, we don’t have the money!' DP Gachagua tells Governors

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has told off governors over their demand to have the counties allocation increased to Ksh.425 billion, maintaining that the government has no money.

DP Gachagua who spoke during MPs' Post-Election Seminar in Mombasa on Thursday, went bare knuckles on the governors saying the Kenya Kwanza administration was stone broke and unable to meet their demands.

He reiterated that the State could only afford to allocate between Ksh.380 and Ksh.385 billion which is about Ksh.40 billion less of their demands.

“They are asking for Ksh.425 billion. SRC is saying that in our scheme of mathematics, you can give Ksh.407 billion. The national government is saying that is good, 407 billion is even better, we can give it to you but we don’t have it, we only have 380 billion,” Gachagua said.

“So, if you want to hang us, we are helpless! If you want to remove our trousers and whip us on the buttocks, go ahead, we don’t have the money! Na sisi ni watu wa kuongea ukweli. What we don’t want to do is to cheat governors that we will give them money which we don’t have.”

The deputy president cited the tough economy as he made a comparison with former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s regime which he said had difficulties disbursing only Ksh. 50 billion to counties, insisting they (Governors) should not expect President William Ruto to pay higher than the budget allocation.

“They were promised Ksh. 50 billion it never came. We are having problems giving them their disbursements every month, we are three months behind. So we are asking them, if what was in the budget, 370 billion, we are unable to give you, to give you 425 billion will just be a lie,” he said.

The second in command went on to implore the Senators to be fair while legislating on budget allocation and appropriation in order to ensure they do not burden the taxpayers.

“President Ruto and I are Christians, we swore with a bible before God and the people of Kenya to always speak the truth. We have no 425 billion or 407 billion to give to the governors, we will try to give 385 billion but we are not promising.

“When the matter finally comes before you, please look at all factors; what is possible and what is not possible. You are responsible elected leaders, so make a fair decision…nyinyi ndio kusema kwa mambo ya appropriation of funds… Mkiona tunapigiwa kelele nyinyi mnyamaze tu,” he urged Senators.

At the same time, the DP said the county allocation would be reviewed if President Ruto’s administration managed to raise the revenue collection from Ksh. 2.2 to Ksh. 3 trillion.

The remarks by Gachagua come a day after Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa, who is the Chairperson of CoG's Finance, Planning and Economic Affairs committee, urged the government to disburse Ksh. 425 billion in a bid to facilitate service delivery to counties.