MPs sulk at Sh48 billion allocation, say it is not enough

The Chairman National Assembly Budget and Appropriations Committee, Samuel Atandi while addressing the media highlighting the FY 2025/26 Budget at KICC, Nairobi on May 20, 2025. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

Parliament will get nearly Sh48 billion in the 2025-26 budget, Sh1.5 billion less what the Parliamentary Service Commission had asked for.

The figures are contained in a report of the National Assembly's Budget and Appropriations Committee.

The committee, chaired by Alego-Usonga Member of Parliament Samuel Atandi, "observed a discrepancy between the budget allocations for Parliament and the Judiciary by the National Treasury and those submitted by the Parliamentary Service Commission."

"The Parliamentary Service Commission submitted an allocation of Sh49.49 billion, while the Judiciary requested Sh27.7 billion, both aligning with the ceilings approved in the 2025 Budget Policy Statement. However, the National Treasury justified the variations in its explanatory memorandum, citing the government's fiscal consolidation strategy," the report noted.

The Judiciary will get Sh27.78 billion, according to the recommendation by the parliamentary committee.

Parliament's development budget will suffer a Sh700 million reduction, which is mostly drawn from general administration, planning and support services that fall under the parliamentary joint services.

The recurrent budget takes a net Sh645 million hit. The biggest recurrent reduction, worth Sh882.5 million, will affect committee operations, broadcast and chamber system upgrade and constituency operations. Other areas with reduced budgets are committees and county office operations, totalling Sh110 million, targeting the Senate.

The Senate will get a Sh66.67 million increase in its recurrent allocation from the parliamentary joint services, among other increases.