MPs disrupt sitting over NG-CDF cash

Members of Parliament have vowed to continue paralysing House business until the billions of shillings owed to them under the National Government Constituency Development Funds (NG-CDF) are released.

The lawmakers are also agitating for the release of funds for the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF).

Yesterday, the members staged a walk out of the National Assembly chambers lamenting the lack of transparency from the Treasury on what had led to the delay in remittance of the funds and the subsequent remedial action.

It all started after Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi rose on a point of order seeking guidance on the NG-CDF and NGAAF issue from Deputy Speaker Gladys Boss Shollei, who was the session Speaker.

Mr Wandayi said members had not been given any justification by the Treasury for not releasing the funds.

"We are now in the tenth month of the 2023/24 financial year and since this House disbursed funds, no single cent has hit the accounts of the constituencies. This House is going for a long recess yet we know that school children are opening school in the first school of January. Those who sat KCPE are joining Form One in that same period yet the counties have no funds," said Wandayi.

"Without NG-CDF bursaries and NGAAF, more than three-quarters of the students will not go back to school. The House would also be in order not to handle any other business in sympathy with the children of hustlers suffering out there and not knowing how they are going back to school," he added.

Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah, while agreeing that the funds release was a pressing issue, told the House that he had engaged the Treasury and the NG-CDF CEO over the matter and assured members that the funds would be released soon.

"I agree that this is a matter that ought to be treated with special attention. We have taken up this matter with the National Treasury which must deal with the twin issues of money to Parliament and money towards NG-CDF through the State Department for Planning.

"I have engaged with the CS, NG-CDF CEO and State Department Cabinet Secretary. They have indicated that they are working on ensuring there will be disbursements of the funds by the time we break," he said.

However, Azimio and Kenya Kwanza lawmakers stormed out chanting "no CDF, no recess!"