- For his part, Nyegenye said it would be unfortunate for the two Houses to take on each other when it comes to budgeting.
- He said the PSC defends the budget on a joint approach, hence the assertions by MPs are ill-fated.
Image: FILE
The clash between the Senate and National Assembly has exposed the deep-rooted rivalry between the two Houses of Parliament.
In the latest tiff, the members of the National Assembly are pushing for the withdrawal of some Sh500 million set aside for the Senate Oversight Fund in the current financial year.
The revelations emerged when Parliamentary Service Commission secretary Jeremiah Nyegenye, who doubles as Clerk of the Senate, appeared before the National Assembly Budget Committee to defend the budget.
He appeared alongside his National Assembly counterpart Samuel Njoroge to defend the proposed budget cut in the supplementary budget.
The move comes at a time when senators have called for the scrapping of the National Government-Constituency Development Fund.
In the National Assembly, members of the Budget and Appropriation Committee want the budget for the now one-year-old SOF abolished in line with the government’s austerity measures.
They said that the allocation is a duplication of functions and the monies ought to be allocated elsewhere.
The MPs castigated the senators who they accused of pouring cold water on the NG-CDF.
Ol Joro Orok MP Michael Muchira asked why the SOF was being made operational, yet it has no regulation for the same.
He said that the 47 senators ought not to be allocated the oversight fund, adding that their mandate is to oversight of all counties.
“We can’t allow administration of this fund without regulations. We have committees which are budgeted and if senators are doing their role on that front then allocating the oversight fund is duplication,” Muchira said.
“This oversight fund is something that we should cut and as a member of this committee, I will not support and if this committee allows it then I will issue dissenting report.”
Embakasi Central MP Benjamin Mwangi said that the Sh500 million fund should be redirected to people-driven projects.
"SOF should be removed because they have their county offices with staff fully paid by PSC. I propose during these hard times, we redirect the money to people’s projects,” he added.
Samburu West MP Naisula Lesuuda said the fund was not benefiting Kenyans but, instead, was being used for political expediency by senators.
“As MPs, we can't see what the oversight fund is doing. It looks like it's money you use to call for barazas and political expediency. We can't see what the money does but NG-CDF we can see what it does,” she said.
For his part, Nyegenye said it would be unfortunate for the two Houses to take on each other when it comes to budgeting. He said the PSC defends the budget on a joint approach, hence the assertions by MPs are ill-fated.
“Senate doesn’t appear before you, it’s the PSC that appears before you. The Senate becomes shorthanded to present itself here. We come as a commission to represent Parliament,” he said.
Njoroge urged MPs to focus on budget cuts as a bicameral House instead of fighting each other by pushing for the withdrawal of the fund
“The Senate Oversight Fund is one-year old, it’s a toddler which is trying to walk, it’s not time to push the other House because of the anger of the moment. If you start fighting as a House, we will all lose. Don't allow anger to rest on your laps,” he said.
Early this month, senators pushed the abolishment of NG-CDF.
Nominated Senator Tabitha Mutinda said the fund should be scrapped as part of the measures to reduce expenditure.
“MPs should agree to the scrapping of NG-CGF once they return from recess. The MPs must demonstrate leadership and sanction CDF removal. We will solve the majority of our problems if we get rid of CDF.”
Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale also called for its scrapping.