Treasury Cabinet Secretary Njuguna Ndung’u has admitted to members of parliament that President William Ruto’s government is running low on cash to the extent that it is currently struggling to pay salaries of civil servants and fulfil other obligations.
Ndung’u, who appeared before the National Assembly Finance Committee on Wednesday, was responding to angry lawmakers who had paralysed normal sitting the previous day to protest the delays to the disbursement of the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF).
“Please bear with us. We are not getting taxes as required. The funds will be released as soon as the government has enough funds,” he told the disgruntled lawmakers.
Ndung’u mostly blames the current situation on global economic challenges that have raised inflation in the East African country and ballooned its public debt.
The National Government Constituencies Development Fund was established in 2015 to help address socio-economic development of the people at the constituency level across Kenya by reducing poverty and enhancing regional equity.
My staff have not received their pay. My office will be locked down if I fail to pay rent. How shall we serve under these circumstances?
Each of Kenya’s 290 constituencies receives approximately KSh130m annually for various development projects, such as building schools and paying tuition fees for students from poor families.
In June, the lawmakers passed a budget of KSh53bn to fund development projects in their constituencies during the 2023/2024 financial year, but the funds have not been allocated to them.
Rare unity displayed
On Tuesday, lawmakers from the government and the opposition put aside their political differences and stormed out of the debating chambers to protest the delay of funds.
They chanted slogans expressing their anger at the government: “No CDF, no parliament.”
Drama as MPs storm out of Plenary chanting ‘No CDF, No Parliament!’ pic.twitter.com/HPif5siT0c
— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) December 5, 2023
Led by Majority Leader Kimani Ichungwa from the government side, the furious legislators lamented that the delay had disrupted the implementation of major projects.
“I agree that this is a matter that ought to be treated with special attention. The National Treasury must deal with this matter urgently,” he said.
Opiyo Wandayi, leader for the minority side, echoed the same sentiments, warning that if the funds are not released, MPs will be unable to support students from poor families when schools reopen in January.
“More than three-quarters of the students in the country will not go back to school. We sympathise with the children of hustlers,” he said.
Jared Okello, another legislator from the opposition side described the situation as unfair treatment of the legislative part of government.
“The government is always supporting its Executive programmes. What about Parliament? We have suspended all sittings and government businesses until we get the funds,” he said.
Senators join the chorus
Senators also boycotted their sittings on Wednesday to protest what they described as prolonged delay in the release of funds from the Treasury to pay salaries for their staff.
Speaker Amason Kingi, was forced to adjourn the Senate’s afternoon sitting due to a lack of quorum, as senators put pressure on the Treasury to release funds to facilitate their works.
I’m ready to lead protests until this government listens. Let them release the funds
“My staff have not received their pay. My office will be locked down if I fail to pay rent. How shall we serve under these circumstances?” said Samson Cherargei, a senator from the government side.
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, from the opposition coalition Azimio la Umoja, threatened to lead a protest inside the Senate chambers if the impasse is not solved.
“I’m ready to lead protests until this government listens. Let them release the funds,” he said.
Not the first time
This is not the first time MPs are staging a stand-off with Ruto’s government over the delay of the funds.
In February, the lawmakers threatened to frustrate passage of the supplementary budget if the money was not released on time.
In April, the government admitted that it had difficulties in paying salaries for civil servants, after Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua explained that the revenue that had been collected at that time, was only enough to foot debt obligations.
Political analyst Kevin Ochol tells The Africa Report that the MPs and Senators actions were justified.
“The lawmakers are showing those they represent that they are not the problem. The blame should be on Ruto’s government.”
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