Constituency cash row: MPs demand release of Sh26bn
Former Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani.
MPs have threatened to block the supplementary budget for the 2021/22 financial year due to be tabled soon if the National Treasury does not release Sh26.6 billion in constituency development funds.
They want Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani to wire the money by next month as the country gears up for the campaign season. A majority of them are in a race against time to finish projects before the polls.
National government constituency development fund (NG-CDF) monies that are yet to be released include a roll-over of pending bills accrued from previous financial years worth Sh4.9 billion.
A document from the National Treasury tabled in the National Assembly on Thursday by Kanduyi MP Wafula Wamunyinyi revealed that, of the Sh41.71 billion allocated to the NG-CDF kitty, only Sh20.43 billion has been disbursed. At least Sh1 billion has been disbursed to the NG-CDF board for operations. The NG-CDF Act stipulates that at least 2.5 per cent of the revenue collected nationally, as audited by Auditor-General and approved by the National Assembly, be allocated to the kitty. Mr Wamunyinyi said Mr Yatani had given an undertaking to clear the balance due by February.
Kajiado North MP Joseph Manje said: “We’re going into an election and most likely, many members won’t come back.”
Kirinyaga Central’s John Munene said: “We should get the NG-CDF money regardless of whether we come back or not.” Funyula’s Wilberforce Ojiambo said the Treasury should release the money for the projects already identified and budgeted for.
Nyando’s Jared Okello said the government had a habit of arm-twisting MPs to pass its agenda “only to leave us languishing in projects that may never be implemented”.
