Nairobi County Senator Edwin Sifuna has expressed his shock at the amount of money he was allocated by parliament for Nairobi Expressway use.

Sifuna who was speaking during a Senate session on Wednesday, July 3, 2024, noted that the government has been wasteful at the expense of the taxpayers.

He gave a scenario of when he was appointed the Deputy Minority whip in the Senate, stating that he was allocated a government vehicle for his use.

Sifuna on Parliament car

What got him by shock, Sifuna says, is the amount of money loaded in his Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) card for the use of the toll road.

“I want to give a personal example and you will forgive me if I am giving house secrets. Hon chair, when I became the Deputy Minority Whip, I was allocated a GK vehicle. On the first day that used that car to go home, I passed through the Expressway. I was shocked at the amount of money that is on my ETC card for my Parliamentary car. As of this morning, when I used that same car to come here, there is Sh377,000 on my ETC card,” Sifuna said.

Budget cuts

Sifuna urged the parliament to review its budget and see where parliamentarians can make major concessions and cuts to make the public see that they are lessening the burden, rather than adding.

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary General urged the MPs and the parliamentary staff to be honest with Kenyans, noting that the amount loaded on his ETC card does not make sense.

Sifuna pointed out that he does not need all that money.

“It does not make sense. Members of Parliament and staff have to be honest with Kenyans in the way the budget of the parliament is prepared. There are ways and means of reducing expenditure in this house in a manner that will not overburden the taxpayer,” Sifuna said.

“I honestly do not need all that money, even if I ran on the Expressway for a whole year, I can’t exhaust the Ksh377,000.”

Khalwale’s take

Sifuna’s Kakamega counterpart Boni Khalwale on the other hand requested President William Ruto to do away with some offices that are not in the Constitution of Kenya.

Among the offices Khalwale says should be disbanded include the Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary, Offices of the First Lady, Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) positions and the President’s economic advisors.

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