Senators oversight funds under probe

Senators could once again lose funds allocated to them for oversight of county governments.

A National Assembly committee has questioned the basis on which the Senators were allocated Sh336 million in the Supplementary Budget.

The Liaison Committee, which is scrutinising the Supplementary Budget, could take away the allocation on the basis that the regulations to govern the use of the funds have not been approved.

The matter arose at a meeting with the Treasury officials led by Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich and the Principal Secretary, Dr Kamau Thugge.

Mr Samuel Chepkong’a, the chairman of the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee, said: “The Parliamentary Service Commission gives money to MPs to oversight. Let us not assuage their egos by giving them another fund, which is not provided for in the law.”

Mr Rotich said the Senate has already submitted the regulations on the use of the funds. But members of the committee said the regulations are yet to be submitted to the National Assembly for scrutiny, meaning the money cannot be used.

The committee chaired by Deputy Speaker Joyce Laboso said the matter would be discussed internally and a decision made on whether the Senate should be given the money.

Last year, the Senate had been allocated Sh1 billion for the same job but lost it in the fight with the National Assembly over their decision to increase the funds to counties. To increase the allocation for counties by Sh3 billion, the National Assembly took the money from the Senate, the Judiciary and the Salaries and Remuneration Commission.

Mr Rotich told the Liaison Committee the Foreign Affairs Ministry was in the red because it had already exhausted its allocation in the budget for the current financial year.

The ministry has been allocated an additional Sh2.2 billion of which Sh700 million will be given to embassies in countries that the President will visit between now and June 30.