MPs seek to control Sh3.4b kitty

The first Bill to amend Kenya's four-year-old Constitution to give MPs the power to manage Sh3.4 billion for marginalised counties was overwhelmingly approved yesterday.

The approval of the Constitution of Kenya (amendment) Bill at the Second Reading essentially means it now has one more step to go through for it to become law.

The Bill, sponsored by Lati Lelelit (Samburu West) got the support of 250 MPs, but seven MPs rejected the amendment when the vote was finally called.

The Bill required 233 MPs to go through, so the House Business Committee used the quorum yesterday to make sure the Bill sailed through the Second Reading.

There was jubilation in the House when Speaker Justin Muturi announced the final vote. When he said that seven MPs had voted against the Bill, the MPs shouted "shame". But because it was done by electronic voting, the MPs did not know who of their colleagues did not vote for the Bill.

According to the vote tally seen by The Standard, those who rejected the Bill are Njoroge Baiya (Githunguri), Amina Abdalla (nominated), Isaac Mwaura (nominated), John Waluke (Sirisia), Maweu Kyengo (Kangundo), Robert Pukose (Endebess) and Zulekha Juma (nominated).

The decision means at least 63 MPs in 14 counties classified as marginalised will benefit from the kitty for the next 16 years.

The Bill seeks to amend the Constitution to ensure it is constituencies and not the national government that will administer the funds. It gives MPs in marginalised counties more money to supplement the Constituency Development Fund.

Article 204 of the Constitution sets up the Equalisation Fund and prescribes that it be allocated 0.5 per cent of all of the country's revenues. Allocation should be pegged on most recent audited accounts. The fund has to be wound up in 2030 unless Parliament extends the period. Some 63 constituencies will share half of the money.