Explainer: A Deep Dive into the One Man, One Shilling, One Vote Proposal
A group of leaders from the Mount Kenya region, spearheaded by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, is advocating for the One Man, One Shilling, One Vote formula for distributing national resources.
This formula suggests prioritizing population over land mass as the key criterion for allocating resources to counties.
Initially, this formula was one of the primary proposals in the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) supported by former President Uhuru Kenyatta and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
The proposal’s creators argued that revenue should be distributed based on the population rather than the land area.
The third revenue-sharing model considers eight factors: Basic share (20%), Population (18%), Health (17%), Poverty Level (14%), Agriculture (10%), Roads (8%), Land (8%), and Urbanization (5%).
During a fundraiser in Samburu on June 7, Deputy President Gachagua defended the proposal, dismissing criticism and advocating for equitable revenue allocation across the country.
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Githunguri MP, Gathoni Wamuchomba, has strongly supported the formula.
In a Hot 96 Kenya interview a year ago, Wamuchomba emphasized that the formula would ensure fair revenue distribution.
“When I mention One Man, One Shilling, and One Vote, I refer to everyone in Githunguri, whether native or not, who contributes to the local economy,” she said, highlighting the significant workforce at Fresha Limited.
“Resources should be allocated to people, not land. That’s my stance,” Wamuchomba stated.
Notably, Wamuchomba chairs the Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee in the National Assembly.
Most supporters of the proposal are from the Mount Kenya region, where 8 of 10 counties have populations exceeding 500,000, according to the 2019 census.
From a Legal Perspective
The Katiba Institute opposes the One Man, One Shilling, and One Vote proposal, arguing it contradicts the 2010 Constitution, which emphasizes equality as a core principle in Article 81.
Governance Expert Philip Mwangale, in an interview with Gossipa2z.com, described the campaign as overly simplistic and detached from constitutional principles.
“The Constitution mandates that public finance should promote an equitable society, ensuring fair taxation and equitable revenue sharing among national and county governments,” Mwangale explained.
He emphasized that the constitution demands public spending to support equitable national development, particularly for marginalized groups.
Mwangale criticized the proposal, asserting that it promotes a selfish agenda contrary to the equity-focused spirit of Article 203 of the Constitution.
“Our goal is equity, not equality. Starting with equality in an unequal population hinders progress,” he clarified.
He listed the constitutional criteria for equity: national interest, public debt, county government functions, fiscal capacity, developmental needs, and economic disparities.
Mwangale dismissed the proponents, arguing their formula defies Article 203, which requires flexible responses to emergencies based on objective criteria.
“If we followed that proposal, then expenditure should align with the taxation burden. Regions with higher populations benefit more from infrastructure projects funded by loans, which should influence tax distribution,” he added.
Mwangale labeled the proposal as a self-serving initiative from Mount Kenya, stressing the need for balance between benefits and burdens before implementing the One Man, One Vote, One Shilling plan.
Explainer: A Deep Dive into the One Man, One Shilling, One Vote Proposal