MP Mutuse calls for soberness amid 'one man, one vote, one shilling' debate

Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse has weighed in on the contentious debate surrounding Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua's advocacy for a ‘one man, one vote, one shilling" resource allocation model.

His statement comes amidst growing concerns that the mantra may inadvertently promote tribalism and regionalism in resource distribution across Kenya.

In a statement to newsrooms, Mutuse advocated for a more nuanced approach to the debate, emphasizing the importance of promoting equitable development and shared prosperity among all Kenyans.

"The ultimate resource allocation formula must be one which promotes equitable development and shared prosperity for all Kenyans. In my considered view, such a formula must be a weighted/moderated one involving several factors/variables and realities on the ground," he said.

⁠"Population alone can’t be the only factor, but can be given a higher weight in the simulation. Poverty/development levels, geography, strategic opening up of new economic corridors, historical marginalization among other factors must also be considered so as not to entrench inequalities through laws and policies."

Citing Kenya's history, the MP cautioned against the pitfalls of past mistakes, where development planning was exclusionary.

"Taking electricity to buttress this point, current data held by the State Department of Energy shows that many densely populated constituencies have 100 percent connection to the grid, at least for public institutions," he said.

"The same data shows many sparsely populated constituencies have under 30 percent connection to the grid.  Why then would a sober development plan advocate for more resources to a constituency which already has 100 percent electricity connection and not the one with under 30 percent?"

Mutuse further called for the national government development planning and service delivery to be anchored at the constituency level.

"I urge fellow leaders to debate about resources soberly knowing all parts of Kenya are interdependent and growth or otherwise in one part of the country affects the other parts, hence we should all grow together," he stated.

The MP's sentiments come after Interior Cabinet Secretary Prof. Kithure Kindiki dismissed DP Gachagua's model.

According to Kindiki, the proponents of the slogan - including DP Gachagua- fail to grasp its implications and long-term ramifications for the nation.

He further argued that the mantra lacks substance as it is not grounded in any scientific or economic principles but instead appears to have been plucked from casual conversation, further stressing that it cannot be relied upon to address the complex economic challenges facing Kenya.