President Ruto Signs Key Bills into Law
The Division of Revenue (Amendment) Act, 2024, spearheaded by Budget and Appropriations Committee Chair Ndindi Nyoro, allocates Ksh.387 billion as equitable revenue to counties for the 2024/2025 fiscal year. This amount represents 24.67% of the most recent audited revenue and exceeds the constitutional minimum threshold of 15%.
Initially, the Finance Bill, 2024 had proposed Ksh.400 billion for counties, but this figure was revised downwards to Ksh.380 billion following public protests. A final agreement between the National Assembly and Senate settled at Ksh.387 billion, which marks a Ksh.2 billion increase from the Ksh.385 billion allocated in the 2023/2024 financial year. The national government will receive Ksh.2.2 trillion under the Act.
The newly enacted Rating Act, 2024, introduced by Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah, establishes a standardized framework for property valuation and rating. It provides counties with clear guidelines on assessing property values and imposing rates, ensuring consistency and fairness.
The Act also creates the office of the Chief Government Valuer, who will serve as the principal advisor to both national and county governments on valuation matters.
The Water (Amendment) Act, 2024, also sponsored by Ichung’wah, paves the way for public-private partnerships in financing water infrastructure projects. This law seeks to boost collaboration between government agencies and private entities to enhance water supply systems across the country.
These legislative milestones demonstrate the government’s commitment to fostering devolution and enabling counties to deliver better services to citizens while addressing critical sectors like property management and water infrastructure development.
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