Kenya Kwanza MPs on Monday pleaded with President William Ruto for the timely release of the National Government Constituency Development Funds saying delays were setting them against the public.
The politicians particularly warned that delays in the release of the NG-CDF funds had caused untold suffering to students depending on bursaries.
Speaking during a closed-door session with the executive during a retreat in Naivasha, Nakuru, the politicians put the National Treasury on the spot.
The majority of those who spoke lamented that their constituents had become hostile to them in most cases when there were delays in the release of the funds by the exchequer.
“When such delays occur and we have no information to tell our people, it becomes very difficult for us MPs to go around our constituencies because you will encounter a lot of resistance,” a member of Parliament from Mt Kenya region said.
Another MP from Rift Valley narrated how he ran into hostile constituents when there were delays in the release of bursary funds.
According to the MP, most residents do not understand that it is the National Treasury that delays the release of the money since all they know is that their leaders are in charge.
“Seeing orphans and vulnerable children shedding tears for fear of dropping out of school is a painful experience that if possible we can avoid,” the MP said.
In November 2023, MPs passed a new law that increased educational bursary funds from 35 per cent to 40 per cent of the NG-CDF.
The NG-CDF fund amendment act also raised the allocation for environmental activities from two per cent to five per cent to mitigate climate change and introduced a three per cent allocation for constituencies’ digital hubs.
The President is said to have explained to the lawmakers the country’s financial situation and asked MPs to be patient when there are inordinate delays.
National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Njuguna Ndung’u is said to have told the MPs that the delays are no longer deliberate but operational because of the revenue shortfalls.
“We will always release money for our children and those meant for bursaries as a priority once we have enough resources at the exchaquer. For us we have no business holding onto money that is supposed to reach the vulnerable,” Ndung’u said.
In December, MPs caused a stand-off in Parliament and paralysed legislative activities over delays in the release of NG-CDF.
On December 5, the lawmakers walked out of the chambers barely an hour after the afternoon sitting had commenced forcing a quorum hitch which led to the house being adjourned prematurely.
MPs were then slated to commence their two-month-long recess the following day but insisted they would not proceed for the break without commitment to the disbursement of the NGCDF.
As they stormed out, some were heard shouting “No bursaries, no recess” while others sang “Solidarity forever for the bursaries make us strong.”
National Assembly deputy speaker Gladys Boss was forced to adjourn the house prematurely after ringing the quorum bell twice according to the standing orders with no quorum being attained.
On a point of order, Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi pointed out that the 100 per cent secondary school transition will face a crisis for learners from poor households if the NG-CDF funds are not released before January.
“The house would be to decline to transact any other business in sympathy in expressing empathy with the thousands of children of poor Kenyans out there, the children of hustlers, who are suffering out there, not knowing how they will go back to school,” he said.
Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah told the House that he had engaged the National Treasury on the matter seeking commitment on when the disbursement will be made as MPs head to recess.
“I listened to many members who came to my office last week and what is bothering many of us is money, especially for bursaries, therefore, we have asked the national treasury and NG-CDF if they know what is provided for in law, the maximum for bursaries with or without the proposal,” he said.
On February 3, a section of lawmakers drawn from the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya coalition requested a special sitting of parliament to deliberate on NG-CDF delays.
In a letter to Ichung’wah and his minority counterpart Wandayi, the 41 legislators led by Rariada Member of Parliament Otiende Amollo indicated that only a fifth of the funds had been released.
“We as duly elected representatives of the people who directly benefit from NG-CDF are extremely concerned that despite it being the third quarter of the financial year have only received Sh30 million,” he stated.
In the third quarter of the 2023/2024 financial year, the legislators said they expected the National Treasury to disburse Sh46 billion yet only Sh 30 million has been released restricted in bursaries.
