A Senate committee will this morning meet the National Assembly's Committee on Delegated Legislation to attempt for the third time to unlock a stalemate between MPs and senators over a Sh1 billion oversight fund.
The Sessional Committee on County Monitoring, Evaluation and Impact Assessment Fund chaired by Meru Senator Kiraitu Murungi will meet the committee, which in October last year recommended that senators should not be given the fund.
"We will be meeting with the committee from of the National Assembly to discuss the progress of the fund and iron out the differences," Kiraitu said.
The Delegated Legislation committee, in its report last year, annulled regulations developed to manage how the oversight fund would be used.
The committee also said the regulations were not developed in accordance with the Public Finance Management Act, questioning the creation of the committee to oversee the utilisation of the
fund.
It also argued that it would create conflict of interest since the membership of the committee would comprise the same members who would be responsible for receiving and distributing the cash.
If the senators and the committee will resolve the stalemate, which has always threatened the relationship between the two Houses, then 92 per cent of the total allocation, as per the regulations, will go to the 47 elected senators. Six per cent will go to those nominated.
The nominated senators would be charged with monitoring and evaluating activities at the national level of the special interest groups – women, youth and people living with disability – they represent in the Senate.
Other members of the committee include John Lonyangapuo (West Pokot), Stephen Sang (Nandi), Muriuki Karue (Nyandarua), George Khaniri (Vihiga), Mutula Kilonzo Jnr (Makueni), Fatuma Dullo (nominated)and Agnes Zani (nominated).
Senators had threatened to suspend dealing with Bills forwarded to them by the National Assembly. The senators also vowed to frustrate the government business in the House.
Wetang'ula said, "It is apparent the Executive does not want this
House and we all know that killing the Senate means killing devolution. As long as these governors are not being monitored then this pilferage
will continue."