Ab-Titchaz
JF-Expert Member
- Jan 30, 2008
- 14,630
- 4,253
Fresh scandal as 51 MPs conspire to control Sh3b
By Alphonce Shiundu
Updated Sunday, March 8th 2015 at 00:00 GMT +3
A fresh battle is looming in the National Assembly as MPs squabble over a vague allocation of Sh3 billion for "public hearings" which they claim has been grabbed by 51 of their colleagues who sit in the powerful Budget and Appropriations Committee.
Those familiar with the intrigues behind the allocation told The Standard on Sunday that their colleagues in the committee arm-twisted the National Treasury and other players to have control on the spending of Sh3 billion.
The committee members used as leverage the pending approval of the Supplementary Budget for the current financial year, the Budget Policy Statement and the Division of Revenue Bill - to determine the sharing of money between the national government and the 47 county governments-to push through the controversial allocation.
Yesterday, MPs turned into whistleblowers and accused 51 of their colleagues, who serve in the National Assembly's Budget and Appropriations Committee, of secretly sharing out Sh3 billion for projects within their respective constituencies.
Rewrite budget
The lawmakers said their colleagues were each looking at Sh60 million for their constituencies, and they now want the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission to step in and investigate why the committee members thought it wise to rewrite the national budget to benefit themselves.
See also: Committee moves Sh12b counties cash to MPs' kitties
The money is contained in the latest report of the committee on the Budget Policy Statement, under the budget line "public hearings" in the additional allocations to the National Treasury. The report tabled on Wednesday afternoon is scheduled for debate in the House on Tuesday afternoon.
In interviews with MPs and members of the Budget and Appropriations Committee, The Standard on Sunday has pieced together details of the controversial package that is the source of discord within the august House.
Deputy Minority Leader Jakoyo Midiwo (Gem, ODM) has already alerted the Speaker Justin Muturi about the contentious kitty. He said it was "selfish, illegal and criminal" for MPs to use their positions in committees for what he claimed were personal benefits.
"What they have done is beyond their mandate. We all know what Sh60 million can do. They have breached the Constitution by conferring benefits to themselves. What structure are they going to use to disburse that money? We know they arm-twisted the Cabinet Secretary to give in to an illegality," said Midiwo.
Mr Sammy Mwaita (Baringo Central, URP), who sits in the Finance, Planning and Trade Committee, said his colleagues in the Budget Committee had erred in trying to get a direct benefit for their constituencies "simply because they were assigned to work on the budget on behalf of the National Assembly".
"It is selfish, irresponsible and an abrogation of duty. In the last Parliament, it was part of the mandate of the Finance Committee to process the budget. At no time did we award ourselves any form of privilege," said Mwaita.
The chairman of the Finance, Planning and Trade Committee, Benjamin Langat (Ainamoi, URP), declined to comment. He also sits in the Budget and Appropriations Committee.
Bernard Bett (Kesses East, URP) added: "I sit in the Lands Committee. Does it mean that we should also allocate ourselves parcels of land? No! That is corruption, pure and simple. Or you can't see the conflict of interest?"
Majority Leader Aden Duale (Garissa Township) and members of the Budget and Appropriations Committee John Mbadi (Suba, ODM), Makali Mulu (Kitui Central, Wiper), James Nyikal (Seme, ODM) and the Deputy Minority Whip Chris Wamalwa (Kiminini, Ford Kenya) said the allocation for "public hearings" was meant to make the Budget Committee "relevant" when it comes to implementing the budget.
"The problem has been that we have been going around the counties to listen to the public. But when we came back to Nairobi, we did not have the money to implement the needs of the public on the budget. That is why the public hearings had lost meaning. Now we have agreed with the Executive that the National Treasury should give us the money," said Makali.
The argument of the committee members is that the committee has to "give the public what it asks for" whenever they contribute to the hearings on the budget. They said it was "just a coincidence" that it was the members of the budget committee who had benefited from the allocation in the current financial year. The others, they said, will receive the allocations in the next cycle.
"Pork barrel"
Wamalwa said it was part of "pork barrel" politics, where money has to be spent on the projects chosen by an MP within specific constituencies for the benefit of the representatives.
"Sometimes, things like roads, water pans, boreholes, and bridges are required in the constituencies. But they are not contained in the budget. That is why we need this Sh3 billion," said Wamalwa in an interview.
Mbadi told The Standard on Sunday that those raising concern were "merely envious".
"If there's some money set aside to cater for the needs that the public gives us when we go round during the budget-making process, what is wrong with that? You can't say that all MPs should get the money; that is the work of the Constituency Development Fund. This is special, not for everybody!" said Mbadi.
The Suba MP said some areas "have unique needs" that need to be dealt with under special circumstances. "If I need a road or a school, I can also canvass the ministries responsible to do projects in my constituency. It is allowed the world over. These people should just stop being jealous. We represent people. I know some people who call ministries to get jobs for their constituents, it is the same thing.
Members should go to committees where they have an interest," said Mbadi in an interview.
For Duale, Makali, Nyikal and Wamalwa it will be futile for the Budget and Appropriations Committee to struggle and seek views from the public, and then fail to allocate money to some of the key projects.
Nyikal added that while the committee does not visit every part of the country to assess the needs, it was common logic that wherever they visit, they give priority to the demands of the people.
"It will not make sense that as a committee we conduct these hearings on the budget, visit all those places, and then come back and do nothing," said Nyikal.
The Majority Leader said the MPs who were raising queries ought to understand that the Constitution required public participation in the budget-making process. If those views are not taken on board, he added, then it becomes futile for the public to keep speaking about their needs.
"It will be illegal if MPs just listen to the public and do nothing about those views. The Budget and Appropriations Committee has to listen to the views, and this money is supposed to be allocated to deal with those needs," said Duale.
The truth about the intent, management and use of the cash will be known on Tuesday when the National Assembly debates the report.
Standard Digital News - Kenya : Fresh scandal as 51 MPs conspire to control Sh3b
By Alphonce Shiundu
Updated Sunday, March 8th 2015 at 00:00 GMT +3
A fresh battle is looming in the National Assembly as MPs squabble over a vague allocation of Sh3 billion for "public hearings" which they claim has been grabbed by 51 of their colleagues who sit in the powerful Budget and Appropriations Committee.
Those familiar with the intrigues behind the allocation told The Standard on Sunday that their colleagues in the committee arm-twisted the National Treasury and other players to have control on the spending of Sh3 billion.
The committee members used as leverage the pending approval of the Supplementary Budget for the current financial year, the Budget Policy Statement and the Division of Revenue Bill - to determine the sharing of money between the national government and the 47 county governments-to push through the controversial allocation.
Yesterday, MPs turned into whistleblowers and accused 51 of their colleagues, who serve in the National Assembly's Budget and Appropriations Committee, of secretly sharing out Sh3 billion for projects within their respective constituencies.
Rewrite budget
The lawmakers said their colleagues were each looking at Sh60 million for their constituencies, and they now want the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission to step in and investigate why the committee members thought it wise to rewrite the national budget to benefit themselves.
See also: Committee moves Sh12b counties cash to MPs' kitties
The money is contained in the latest report of the committee on the Budget Policy Statement, under the budget line "public hearings" in the additional allocations to the National Treasury. The report tabled on Wednesday afternoon is scheduled for debate in the House on Tuesday afternoon.
In interviews with MPs and members of the Budget and Appropriations Committee, The Standard on Sunday has pieced together details of the controversial package that is the source of discord within the august House.
Deputy Minority Leader Jakoyo Midiwo (Gem, ODM) has already alerted the Speaker Justin Muturi about the contentious kitty. He said it was "selfish, illegal and criminal" for MPs to use their positions in committees for what he claimed were personal benefits.
"What they have done is beyond their mandate. We all know what Sh60 million can do. They have breached the Constitution by conferring benefits to themselves. What structure are they going to use to disburse that money? We know they arm-twisted the Cabinet Secretary to give in to an illegality," said Midiwo.
Mr Sammy Mwaita (Baringo Central, URP), who sits in the Finance, Planning and Trade Committee, said his colleagues in the Budget Committee had erred in trying to get a direct benefit for their constituencies "simply because they were assigned to work on the budget on behalf of the National Assembly".
"It is selfish, irresponsible and an abrogation of duty. In the last Parliament, it was part of the mandate of the Finance Committee to process the budget. At no time did we award ourselves any form of privilege," said Mwaita.
The chairman of the Finance, Planning and Trade Committee, Benjamin Langat (Ainamoi, URP), declined to comment. He also sits in the Budget and Appropriations Committee.
Bernard Bett (Kesses East, URP) added: "I sit in the Lands Committee. Does it mean that we should also allocate ourselves parcels of land? No! That is corruption, pure and simple. Or you can't see the conflict of interest?"
Majority Leader Aden Duale (Garissa Township) and members of the Budget and Appropriations Committee John Mbadi (Suba, ODM), Makali Mulu (Kitui Central, Wiper), James Nyikal (Seme, ODM) and the Deputy Minority Whip Chris Wamalwa (Kiminini, Ford Kenya) said the allocation for "public hearings" was meant to make the Budget Committee "relevant" when it comes to implementing the budget.
"The problem has been that we have been going around the counties to listen to the public. But when we came back to Nairobi, we did not have the money to implement the needs of the public on the budget. That is why the public hearings had lost meaning. Now we have agreed with the Executive that the National Treasury should give us the money," said Makali.
The argument of the committee members is that the committee has to "give the public what it asks for" whenever they contribute to the hearings on the budget. They said it was "just a coincidence" that it was the members of the budget committee who had benefited from the allocation in the current financial year. The others, they said, will receive the allocations in the next cycle.
"Pork barrel"
Wamalwa said it was part of "pork barrel" politics, where money has to be spent on the projects chosen by an MP within specific constituencies for the benefit of the representatives.
"Sometimes, things like roads, water pans, boreholes, and bridges are required in the constituencies. But they are not contained in the budget. That is why we need this Sh3 billion," said Wamalwa in an interview.
Mbadi told The Standard on Sunday that those raising concern were "merely envious".
"If there's some money set aside to cater for the needs that the public gives us when we go round during the budget-making process, what is wrong with that? You can't say that all MPs should get the money; that is the work of the Constituency Development Fund. This is special, not for everybody!" said Mbadi.
The Suba MP said some areas "have unique needs" that need to be dealt with under special circumstances. "If I need a road or a school, I can also canvass the ministries responsible to do projects in my constituency. It is allowed the world over. These people should just stop being jealous. We represent people. I know some people who call ministries to get jobs for their constituents, it is the same thing.
Members should go to committees where they have an interest," said Mbadi in an interview.
For Duale, Makali, Nyikal and Wamalwa it will be futile for the Budget and Appropriations Committee to struggle and seek views from the public, and then fail to allocate money to some of the key projects.
Nyikal added that while the committee does not visit every part of the country to assess the needs, it was common logic that wherever they visit, they give priority to the demands of the people.
"It will not make sense that as a committee we conduct these hearings on the budget, visit all those places, and then come back and do nothing," said Nyikal.
The Majority Leader said the MPs who were raising queries ought to understand that the Constitution required public participation in the budget-making process. If those views are not taken on board, he added, then it becomes futile for the public to keep speaking about their needs.
"It will be illegal if MPs just listen to the public and do nothing about those views. The Budget and Appropriations Committee has to listen to the views, and this money is supposed to be allocated to deal with those needs," said Duale.
The truth about the intent, management and use of the cash will be known on Tuesday when the National Assembly debates the report.
Standard Digital News - Kenya : Fresh scandal as 51 MPs conspire to control Sh3b