Kenya's Members of Parliament plan to buy Chinese furniture mean, misguided

The planned Parliamentary Select Commission (PSC) members window-shopping expedition to China to facilitate procurement of office furniture is a waste of taxpayers’ money and ill-informed at a time when the country is grappling with huge unemployment and other economic crises.

 The Government needs to introduce strict measures to curb wastage of public resources. This will help deal with cases such as this whose sole purpose seems to be claiming allowances from an already ailing economy.

 Why should our legislators go all the way to China to purchase furniture that can be locally acquired?  They are killing our industries and denying our country the much needed growth.

These MPs should not be allowed to make the trip. If there is need for furniture, they should give local manufacturers a chance. This way, they will create employment opportunities locally while at the same time building the economy.

It’s unrealistic for MPs to stand before media cameras to say that they can do nothing about it. They make it sound as if it’s already a done deal.

The MPs are all speaking in one voice, this mentality of “it’s our turn to eat” should stop because it exploits the ordinary citizens who work hard to pay taxes and expect better services from the Government.

         {James Okong’o, Nairobi}

 

The plan by Parliamentary Service Commission to travel to China to facilitate procurement of seats is ill-timed and negates efforts to bolster and strengthen local entrepreneurs.

Some senators have condemned this publicly with Beth Mugo and Sammy Leshore’s efforts to convince the commission falling on deaf ears.

Air tickets for PSC members, import, shipping the furniture and demurrage charges will cost the country a lot of money.

Why export these funds while we can promote local industries and still get quality?

The Kenya Prisons Service proved that local industries are capable of producing quality, high-end items. Have the seats they made not lit up the Parliamentary chambers?

Why not give them another opportunity to make them? The plan to import furniture does not augur well and should be withdrawn. Give prisons the job, or any other local furniture maker, and promote the Kenyan industry.

                         {A Kiptoo, Nairobi}

 

That a number of our MPs are planning to travel to China to window shop for their office furniture is totally absurd.

Members of the National Assembly continue to expose their lack of concern for anything other than their own selfish interests.

It beats logic that they intend to spend millions of taxpayers’ money at a time the Government is alleging it’s unable to give teachers and other civil servants better pay. These legislators are also insinuating that our country cannot produce furniture worthy of them! This is ridiculous.

Someone should control the legislators’ self-aggrandisement.

        {Philip Mbindyo, Ukwala}