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Members of the National Assembly yesterday threatened to slash the Sh500 million meant for senate oversight as the differences between the two houses escalated.

MPs who sit in the Budget and Appropriations Committee (BAC) chaired By Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro demanded that the senate explain how it has spent the money since the fund was operationalised a year ago.

The lawmakers claimed that senators have other oversight funds including monies set aside for committees to carry out their duties, and enjoy mileage whenever they travel just like them and thus having another oversight funding is disadvantageous to the Members of the National Assembly.

At a meeting with the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) which had appeared to defend its budget that has faced a cut of Sh3.7 billion in the 2024/2025 Supplementary estimates, the lawmakers said that they will not take part in an illegality as regulations governing the said fund have not been passed.

Said Muchira: “Personally as a member of this committee and if this committee agrees to allow the Sh500m to pass I will do a dissenting opinion because I will not take part in an illegality.”

The sentiments by the MPS came after Senators called for the scrapping of the National Government-Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF), saying it is being used as a front to swindle taxpayers’ money.

Reduce expenditure

Nominated Senator Tabitha Mutinda said NG-CDF should be scrapped as part of the measures to reduce expenditure.

The lawmaker says while the President has proposed austerity measures targeting his office, ministries, government departments, and agencies, NG-CDF gobbles up a lot of finances in the country’s budget every year.

She said: “MPs should agree to the scrapping of NG-CGF once they return from recess. The MPs must demonstrate leadership and sanction CDF removal. We will solve the majority of our problems if we get rid of CDF.”

Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale also called for the scrapping of the Fund on grounds that National Assembly members are able to afford high-end fuel guzzlers because of the NG-CDF.

He said: “Senators use Prados but in the parking of the National Assembly you see high-end vehicles and why Mr. Speaker? …Because of an unconstitutional fund called CDF.”

Unconstitutional process

Added: “The courts made a pronouncement that it was illegal, the national assembly without blinking an eye went ahead and exercised legislative impunity by twisting the act so as to be allowed to continue with the unconstitutional process.”

NG-CDF was first created in 2003 during former President Mwai Kibaki’s regime.

But yesterday MPs Naisula Lesuuda (Samburu West), Bernard Shinali (Ikolomani)Rahab Mukami (Nyeri woman Representatives), Benjamin Gathiru(Embakasi Central),  Njuguna Wanjiku (Kiambaa), Michael Muchira (Oljororok) said that MPs do not control the NG-CDF as they are only overseers of the fund.

The MPs said that it was wrong for senators to attack them based on the NG-CDF and thus proposed that PSC take action on senators claiming that they are living a lavish lifestyle because of the said fund.

Lesuuda who started the debate sought to know what the senate has done with the oversight funds yet they are facilitated to oversight counties.