MPs seek funding cuts for UhuRuto offices, target travel

Butere MP Tindi Mwale who is among lawmakers who want the budgets of the offices of the President and the DP slashed. /FILE
Butere MP Tindi Mwale who is among lawmakers who want the budgets of the offices of the President and the DP slashed. /FILE

Four MPs want President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto to reduce the cash allocated to their offices in the budget.

MPs Tindi Mwale, Johnson Manya, Didmus Barasa and Rashid Amin faulted Uhuru for trimming the budget for counties. They spoke at a press conference at Parliament Buildings on Monday.

During his State of the Nation Address on Friday, President proposed wide-ranging cuts across all arms of government targeting non-priority spendings such as hospitality, foreign and domestic travel, training and seminars.

He said allocations for the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Judiciary should be increased to boost the war on graft.

But Mwale disagrees with Uhuru's plan.

He instead wants the budgets for the offices of the President, the DP, the ministries of Defence and Interior disclosed and slashed.

"Why are planes being bought yet Kenya is experiencing relative peace?" Mwale said.

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The Butere MP said the President and the DP should reduce their foreign trips and local trips.

His Mumias West counterpart Manya backed his remarks. He said counties will be unable to pay their pending bills.

The Treasury aims to save Sh52 billion from the spending cuts. It is looking to scrap

Sh5 billion allocated to Parliament and the Senate as well as Sh6 billion for the CDF kitty.

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to be scrapped is Sh5.5 billion for capacity building in the digital literacy programme and Sh2.6 billion for Last Mile Connectivity programme and electrification of public facilities.

Roads agencies' budget will be chopped by

Sh8.7 billion. The money was meant for rehabilitation of roads and infrastructure damaged by heavy rain across the country between April to June.

The MPs also opposed the eight per cent fuel tax that will be tabled in Parliament by Majority leader Aden Duale on Thursday.

No amount of intimidation by the executive or the handshake will make MPs change their

minds,” Wajir East MP Amin said.

He said the government has a huge appetite for borrowing.

The debt is now at Sh5 trillion from Sh1.7 Trillion in the last seven years.

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