RAILA ‘BRIBES’ KALONZO WITH SH 70 MILLION AFTER RUTO KNOCKS RELENTLESSLY

Four opposition coalition partner parties will get Sh153 million of the Sh489 million disbursed to Raila Odinga-led Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).

The sharing of the amount from three financial years is tabulated based on votes attributed to parliamentary seats by the five National Super Alliance (Nasa) partners – ODM, Wiper, Amani National Congress (ANC), Ford Kenya and Chama Cha Mashinani (CCM).

Kalonzo Musyoka’s Wiper will receive Sh70 million for 2017/18, 2018/19 and 2019/2020 while ANC of Musalia Mudavadi will get Sh43.9 million.

Moses Wetangúla’s Ford-Kenya will receive Sh36 million while CCM of former Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto will receive Sh3 million.

Of the total disbursed amount, ODM will retain 179,838,764 being money attributed to votes from gubernatorial and county assemblies.

The five parties will then share 308,073,189 being shareable revenue based on their numerical strength in Parliament.

Based on the numbers, ODM will take Sh187 million on top of the Sh179.8 million.

In the National Assembly and Senate, ODM has 94 seats accounting for 61 per cent of NASA strength in Parliament while Wiper accounts for 18 per cent, with 27 members.

ANC has 17 members representing 11 per cent of the coalition’s numbers in Parliament while Ford Kenya and CCM have 14 members (9 per cent) and 2 seats (1 per cent), respectively.

ODM, in its proposed formula said of the Sh112 million disbursed in the 2017/18 financial year, only Sh70.9 million is shareable among the five partner parties.

Same amount was disbursed to ODM in 2018/19, making 70.9 million a shareable amount.

And in 2019/2020, Sh263 million was disbursed to ODM, with calculations showing Sh166 million is what will be shared. Cumulatively, ODM received Sh487,911,953 for the three financial years.

Under the suggested formula, ODM will take Sh188 million of the Sh308 million, leaving the balance to the four partner parties.

The details of how the four outfits will benefit from the political parties funding, are contained in a letter by Raila to his now-estranged political partners.

The decision to share the contested money was a climb-down by the former premier, who previously insisted that ODM did not owe the coalition partners a coin.

It was, however, perceived to be a last-minute attempt by ODM to woo back their partners, who have since resolved to cur links with him ahead of next year’s polls over “political mistrust”.

“The Orange Democratic Movement is appreciative of the constructive consultations that have taken place among the leaders of our respective parties,” said Raila in the letter.

“Consequently, our party has deliberated internally and resolved that, without prejudice, we share with our coalition partners ODM’s share of the Political Parties Fund attributed to parliamentary (and excluding presidential, gubernatorial and county assemblies) votes for the financial years 2017/18, 2018/19 and 2019/2020.”

He expressed optimism that the decision would end the “unhealthy exchange of words on the matter”.

The Political Parties Act 2011, sets aside 0.3 per cent of the national government revenue to finance activities of political parties.

According to the Act, a political party receives zero funding if it does not secure at least five per cent of the total number of votes at the preceding general election.

A party also stands to lose if more than two-thirds of its registered office bearers are of the same gender.

The number of votes by a party is computed by adding the total obtained in the preceding general election by a political party in the election for President, Members of Parliament, governors and Members of County Assemblies.

Currently, only Jubilee and ODM are entitled to funding by the exchequer.

Courtesy The Standard