Rarienda MP Otiende Amollo has called out President William Ruto for scolding legislators during the Joint National Executive Retreat and Parliamentary Group consultative meeting, Naivasha.
On Monday, Ruto told off Kenya Kwanza MPs critical of his policies, asking them to own up and defend their campaign manifesto to Kenyans.
He lashed out at the critics of government programmes, telling the MPs that they are the government in Parliament.
“There is no other government in Parliament, you are the government, so stop pointing at the government because you are the government,” Ruto said.
Reacting to the above, MP Amollo said it was wrong for the Head of State to scold MPs who do not receive Constituencies Development Fund (CDF) money.
"Scolding MPs who are advocating for CDF money for their constituents is inappropriate," he said on Tuesday during an interview.
The ODM legislator explained that already Parliament is discussing the budget for the next Financial year, yet up to date the MPs have only received 18 per cent of the total money they are meant to get for CDF.
Not forgetting that barely four months are left to the FY 2024-25.
"One would have thought that they (government) would take time at the retreat to explain in great detail why we are in that situation instead of scolding MPs who are advocating the release of the money," Amollo added.
Last month, a section of lawmakers drawn from the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya coalition requested a special sitting of parliament to deliberate on the delayed disbursement of the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF).
In a letter addressed to the National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah and his minority counterpart Opiyo Wandayi, the 41 legislators led by Rariada MP indicated that only a fifth of the funds have been released.
“We as duly elected representatives of the people who directly benefit from NG-CDF are extremely concerned that despite it being the third quarter of the financial year have only received Sh30 Million,” Amollo stated.
In case their quest is not heeded they have requested the House Business Committee which formulates the business of the house to prioritize the discussion over the matter.
Going further, the MP Amollo highlighted that having a Parliamentary Group meeting for political parties and coalitions was a good idea.
However, he noted that having a PG with both Executive and legislators was a bad idea in terms of democracy.
"I have kept saying to deaf ears that it should be understood that there is no government in Parliament, we only have the majority and minority side," Amollo said.
He emphasized that Parliament is supposed to be a check on the executive and not to be subordinate.
The MP added that the Executive's agenda should be set by them and brought to Parliament where it can be passed or rejected.
"An idea of having where members of parliament can be assembled at the invite of the executive to be lectured on what to do and what not to do is not a good idea," Amollo added.
President William Ruto and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua arriving at the joint National Executive Retreat and Parliamentary Group consultative meeting in Naivasha, Nakuru, on February 19, 2024
President Ruto on Monday officially opened the joint National Executive Retreat and Parliamentary Group consultative meeting in Naivasha.
The retreat is attended by Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, Senators and MPs from the Kenya Kwanza administration.
The retreat is designed to evaluate Kenya Kwanza's performance and spotlight significant achievements since the administration assumed office in September 2022.