Legislators hire new lawyers in CDF case

Members of Parliament have hired new lawyers to represent constituencies in a case whose hearing at the High Court continues today.

At the same time, the lawmakers increased allocation to the National Government Constituency Development Fund by Sh1 billion as they approved the budget on Thursday.

The kitty now has Sh35 billion although its future would depend on what the High Court decides.

A member of the ad hoc committee handling the matter told the Nation that Mr Ochieng Oduol and Mr Mbiu Kamau had been hired while Mr Kioko Kilukumi had been approached.

Plans to get the lawyers were threatened when Opposition MPs were angered by the decision by their Jubilee counterparts to throw out an informal deal to pass the budget on Tuesday.

The lawmakers agreed to have every constituency contribute Sh100,000 to foot the lawyers’ costs.

CDF Committee Chairman Moses Lessonet said the board would coordinate the process of getting the lawyers and how to pay their fees from constituencies whose committees would want to be enjoined in the case.

After the budget was passed, Mbita MP Millie Odhiambo said she would not agree to the Sh100,000 payment since Jubilee MPs went against what had been agreed on.

MPs hired the lawyers because they felt the interests of the constituencies were not adequately addressed in the budget.