• Majority leader Amos Kimunya told MPs that the balance will be cleared by April 30.
• Muturi made the move after members complained they had not been consulted on a report from the Treasury detailing the status of CDF disbursements.
Image: FILE
Speaker Justin Muturi was forced to suspend National Assembly Thursday morning sitting following protests by members over the late disbursement of CDF.
The speaker handed the MPs 45 minutes to deliberate on their stalemate with the Treasury on the monies.
Muturi made the move after members complained they had not been consulted on a report from the Treasury detailing the status of CDF disbursements.
Treasury, as per the report, has this week released Sh6 billion to cater to the arrears, even as some lawmakers still protested skewed distribution of the same.
The disbursement brings to Sh31 billion, the total amount released this year leaving Treasury with a balance of Sh25 billion to clear with CDF.
There are arrears of Sh14 billion for the last financial year, which were not included in the current budget, and Sh11 billion for this year.
Members retreated to an informal sitting – known as Kamukunji, to discuss the matter, among them their dissatisfaction with the pace at which the exchequer was releasing the funds.
MPs said it was the first time constituencies received or had no clarity of when they would receive CDF cash two months to the end of the financial year.
The lawmakers were called for a special sitting to approve the Division of Revenue Bill, 2021, and first supplementary estimates - in which the arrears are allocated.
Majority leader Amos Kimunya told MPs that the balance will be cleared by April 30.
“If for some reasons, your constituency has not received money, then it is in processing,” the MP said.
He announced that there will be disbursement of Sh2 billion every week until the third week of April to hit the Sh41 billion target.
“We have also agreed with the Treasury to reinstate the Sh10 billion that was slashed in the supplementary estimates. In addition, the Sh13 billion that was not included is now featured in the amended estimates,” Kimunya said.
He said the arrears could not be released without the same being approved in the supplementary estimates before the House.
Constituencies are projected to receive Sh54 billion by mid-week of June.
But MPs lamented that there was no guarantee the Treasury would release the monies as outlined citing past experiences.
Kipkelion East MP Joseph Limo said it would have been better if the House leadership arranged a Kamukunji to iron out the issues.
“We needed a Kamukunji so that we express ourselves since Treasury has not been serious with serious disbursement. We should be at 75 per cent of the disbursement, which is about Sh90 million for each constituency,” he said.
Budget committee chairman Kanini Kega defended the Treasury saying it has lived through to the promises made to MPs.
Uriri MP Mark Nyamitta asked his colleagues to acknowledge that the CDF board had not received Sh14 billion at the close of the financial year 2019-20.
“We budgeted without taking consideration of the arrears. It is what caused this standoff. We went to this year with the hole.”