Senate surrenders Sh200 million to aid in Covid-19 fight

The Senate has surrendered Sh200 million from its budget to aid in the fight against novel coronavirus disease.

Speaker Kenneth Lusaka made the announcement on Tuesday afternoon when the legislators reconvened after a two-week break.

The speaker said the house has yielded the cash from the Senate budget allocation in the current financial year, to aid in the efforts of the government to fight the disease.

He said the decision was made by a Senate Business Committee during its sitting on Monday to support the government’s efforts to combat the virus.

“The Senate, therefore, requests the Parliamentary Service Commission to effect the deductions to take necessary administrative measures to yield the stated sum from the Budget of the Senate to the National Treasury to be re-allocated and utilized in efforts to combat the pandemic,” he said.

Already, Lusaka and his National Assembly counterpart Justin Muturi have volunteered 30 per cent of their salaries to go towards the fighting disease.

In Kenya, one person has died, 50 infected and one recovered from the pandemic that has claimed over 37,000 lives.

Several state and public officers have surrendered a percentage of their salaries to help combat the virus.

President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto have agreed to take a 80 per cent pay cut.

Cabinet Secretaries have taken a 30 per cent salary cut while Chief Justice David Maraga and Supreme Court judges have agreed to surrender 30 per cent of their pay.

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