Lawmakers raise alarm over Parliament cash crunch, fault Treasury spending priorities

A storm is brewing between Parliament and the National Treasury over what senators have termed deliberate underfunding of the legislature, warning that the financial squeeze could cripple legislative and oversight functions.

Speaking in the Senate, Ledama Olekina accused the National Treasury of sidelining Parliament in budget allocations even as the Executive continues to spend “heavily.”

The Narok senator said the current fiscal approach adopted by the Treasury threatens the independence of Parliament and undermines its constitutional mandate.

“It is deeply troubling that while the national government continues to incur significant expenditures under Article 223 of the Constitution, Parliament is simultaneously being subjected to severe financial constraints,” Olekina said.

Parliament is regarded as one of the highly funded institutions in the country.

In the current financial year, Parliament was allocated Sh47.99 billion. The figure was revised upwards to Sh48.69 billion in a supplementary budget 1.

The National Treasury has allocated the August house Sh48.69 billion in the 2026-27 budget estimates.

The constitution mandates the National Assembly to allocate resources to various state institutions.

Olekina said Parliament is grappling with mounting pending bills and funding shortages that are affecting critical operations, including committee sittings, legislative processes, oversight duties and public engagement programmes.

According to Olekina, delays and failures by the Treasury to release approved funds have left Parliament operating under a significant deficit, raising concerns over the sustainability of its activities.

He said promises of financial support through supplementary budget allocations had failed to materialise, creating uncertainty.

“Essential activities are being jeopardised due to inadequate and unpredictable funding,” he told the House.

The statement now piles pressure on the Treasury over growing concerns regarding the use of Article 223, a constitutional provision that allows the government to authorise spending before parliamentary approval under special circumstances.

Olekina argued that the continued reliance on the provision while Parliament itself struggles financially presents a contradiction that must be urgently addressed.

He urged the Treasury to prioritise settlement of Parliament’s pending bills, ensure timely disbursement of approved allocations and provide accountability on expenditures incurred under Article 223.

The senator called for a more predictable fiscal framework that would support the effective functioning of Parliament as an independent arm of government.

“Parliament cannot effectively perform its oversight role while constrained by financial uncertainty,” he said.

The remarks are likely to reignite debate over the relationship between the Executive and Parliament, particularly on issues of budgetary independence and separation of powers.

Over the years, lawmakers have repeatedly accused the Treasury of using delayed disbursement of funds as a tactic to weaken Parliament’s oversight capacity.

The latest concerns emerge at a time when the country is facing growing fiscal pressure, ballooning public debt and increased demands for austerity measures across government institutions.

However, senators warned that cutting Parliament’s budget could have far-reaching consequences on governance and accountability.

In his statement, Olekina said Kenya lost an opportunity to host the Fourth World Summit of the Committee of the Future Parliaments in Nairobi this October due to a lack of funding.

He said Parliament was unable to raise the required Sh12.95 million needed to support the global event because of competing priorities within the Treasury.

The senator termed the development regrettable, saying the summit would have boosted Kenya’s international profile while generating revenue for Nairobi through tourism and hospitality.

“This decision is particularly disappointing given the significant economic and diplomatic benefits such a global summit would have brought to Nairobi,” he said.

The summit was expected to attract parliamentary delegations and policymakers from different countries, placing Kenya at the centre of global discussions on governance and future legislative reforms.