Bunge Chronicles: Empty chamber consoles MPs crying over CDF
POLITICS
By
Brian Otieno
| Feb 13th 2022 | 2 min read

Parliament in session during the Budget reading of 2020/21 at the Parliament buildings, Nairobi. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]
It must be tough being a retiring president. You fly a thousand miles to offer sage advice, and all everyone hears is 'kungulu kangala'.
That must have been what our beloved wahesh heard when the president, fresh from his Addis Ababa tour, told Mombasa residents, "Kazi inafanyiwa ofisini, si juu ya magari."
Which explains why they are still out here testing whether the tops of their fuel guzzlers are made of the right material and whether their five-year shouting practice in Bunge is any good.
And hence the reason Speaker Justin Muturi was addressing empty seats in Bunge this past week. But to be fair to the honourable members of the august House, Bunge hardly looks or feels anything like an office. Bottles fly from wall to wall, punches from face to face. The frequent noise sends its generous contributions to making the place the least conducive environment for working. It's no wonder someone else does all their work for them.
KEEP READING
- Auditor questions how millions in CDF bursary funds were spent
- Bunge Chronicles: Sankok antics light up the House as BBI dream crushed
- Bunge Chronicles: It's primitive to beat up scribes and Millie won't struggle to say it
- Parliament chronicles: Keeping up with the politicians reality show is finally here
Tucked in the middle of obscurity lie offices long-deserted, visited only on election years and when the wahesh's hands are not empty. Their hands are still empty, the MPs, the handful in the chamber on Tuesday, lamented.
The situation has made it impossible for MPs to visit their offices, whose ceilings are decorated with cobwebs. Blocking their access are endless queues of paupers with outstretched hands, each desperate for a share of taxpayer's money, redistributed as NGCDF, formerly CDF.
But the government has refused to disburse NGCDF, Kanduyi mhesh and the party leader of the newest chama in town, DAP-K, Wafula Wamunyinyi, told the empty seats before him.
"The funds have not been received," he said about the Sh2 billion Treasury had promised to them every week. Careful not to incite the seats into protesting, Wamunyinyi fashioned his voice into the most sleep-inducing tone.
The plan would have worked if his only audience were the seats. It would have also worked had the chair of the NGCDF committee kept mum on the exclusion of the funds in the proposed supplementary budget.
"If by the time the majority leader will be tabling the Supplementary Budget and there will be no CDF in our accounts, the supplementary will go down," Aldai mhesh Cornelly Serem threatened.
"We require these funds, unconditionally, for our children," he went on, expressing honesty on the intended destination of the funds, uncharacteristic for a mhesh.
His voice, turned up a few decibels, was enough to wake his colleagues that Wamunyinyi had soothed into slumber. And from empty seats, heads emerged, a sign that not everyone was spending their days atop their cars.
"Refusing to release the funds for this financial year... is taking Members of Parliament to the guillotine," lamented Funyula's Wilberforce Oundo.
RELATED VIDEOS
Three ways to deliver an enhanced employee experience
The Covid-19 pandemic has brought about many changes, but when it comes to the world of work, the employee voice matters and must be heard.Primaries in Mt Kenya to be low key over lack of party euphoria
Political players and pundits say that aspirants do not believe in party primaries as aspirants urge voters to reject those based on party euphoria.MOST READ

- Media coverage: Raila had 61 per cent compared to Ruto's 38 per cent
NATIONAL
- Man returns from short call to find Sh5m gone
NAIROBI
- Kakamega governor race: Court declines to lift orders barring gazettement of Malala
WESTERN
- Former CJ should hold his peace if he doesn't plan to vote
OPINION
- Ruto, Raila to battle for 6.6m votes in 15 swing counties
POLITICS