NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 21 – Members of Parliament have threatened to frustrate the passage of the Supplementary budget for the year 2022-2023 in the event the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF) will not be factored in the budget.
During the sitting of the NGDCF committee led by Mwingi Central Member of Parliament Gideon Mulyungi, they have decried the late disbursement with no actions by the National Treasury to fast track the disbursement.
NGCDF Board Chief Executive Committee (CEO) Yusuf Mbuno revealed that the exchequer had so far released Sh10 billion to the constituency fund kitty.
“The treasury made a commitment to be releasing Sh2 billion weekly, and that is the commitment we are working with, we are expecting that by 31st of March, 50% of the funds should have been released” said Mbuno.
Mbuno told legilslators that the board is optimistic that the funds will be released in time despite the confession by the Treasury CS Njuguna Ndungu that the government is broke.
MPs however raised concerns that the National Treasury had remained non commital on the pledge to disburse Sh2 billion weekly to fast track the disbursement of the funds to constituencies.
Kitui Rural MP David Mwalika casted aspersion on the timely release of the funds by the Treasury mentioning that MPs might jeopardize their political careers due to the late disbursement of the funds.
“We must be very serious with the treasury, we need to give them conditions before we pass the supplementary budget, and the last trunch will be expected during the passage of the main budget,” he stated.
“We need to give them conditions, because my fear is if we move to the next financial year with a balance, we are going to suffer and some of us then should just prepare to go home” Mboni said
Homabay Woman Representative Joyce Osodo AKA Bensouda scoffed at the remarks saying optimism will not change the status quo insisting that timelines should be put in place to fast track the disbursement.
“It is not a matter of being optimistic or hopeful, Kenyans are waiting for services, what we want to know is when will the money be released, what is the timeframe you are being given?” posed Bensouda.
