Legislators clash over poor state of the country’s ‘slumping’ economy

 National Assembly’s Budget and Appropriation chairman Kanini Kega yesterday clashed with his predecessor Kimani Ichung’wa over the current poor state of the economy.

The duo met at Ngenia High School in Limuru during the burial of Alice Ndirangu, mother to Igogo Ndirangu, a parliamentary staffer in Limuru Constituency.

Present included area MP Peter Mwathi, Moses Kuria (Gatundu South), Mercy Gakuya (Kasarani) and Mark Nyamita (Uriri).

During the event, Kuria left in a huff after AIPCK clergy, led by pastor Paul Njenga, sought to have speeches cut and burial service conducted before the legislators could address the mourners.

This was after Mwathi, Kega (Kieni), Nyamita and  Ichung’wa (pictured) had addressed the mourners with the Kikuyu MP being cheered on as he tore into the Buiding Bridges Initiative (BBI) proponents.

BBI politics took centre-stage with Kega saying funds to be used for referendum would not be from National Treasury but from donors.

Economy on its knees

He accused a section of leaders, who he said are busy spreading rumours to the effect that the country is broke, noting that such allegations are unfounded. 

“Our economy, like others the world over has been affected by the effects of Covid-19 pandemic, but that does not  mean the country is broke,” he said.

However, in a rejoinder, Ichung’wa said the country’s economy is on its knees, and regretted that the government was prioritising BBI at the expense of the common man and particularly health workers.

Wrong direction

“I was fired from the Budget Committee for telling the truth that the country is headed in the wrong direction if we continue borrowing, thereby increasing the national debt,” he said, adding that indeed, the country might sink in the near future unless urgent austerity measures are taken to contain the slumping economy.

The lawmakers blamed each other for misleading residents about BBI.

Mwathi prevailed upon the leaders to depoliticise the same and give Kenyans ample time to read the document and make informed choices. 

“When we politicians attack each other, voters take the BBI debate as a political contest, which is not the case.

It should dawn on Kenyans that BBI is only seeking to amend some sections of the Constitution and not changing it,” he explained.

Mwathi also lashed out at politicians he claimed have been misleading people that President Uhuru Kenyatta’s government has forsaken the region.

Kega regretted that Kiambu is among the counties that are resisting BBI, which he said is aimed at improving Kenyans’ lives and the economy.