- Members of the National Assembly protested delays in disbursement of the National Government Constituency Development Funds (NG-CDF).
- Senators boycotted sittings to protest prolonged delay in the release of funds from National Treasury to pay salaries for their staff.
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Parliament adjourned for a long recess until February 13, 2024 in a week that was marked with protests and walkouts by lawmakers.
Business came to a standstill at the National Assembly on Tuesday as MPs staged a walkout over delays of in disbursement of the National Government Constituency Development Funds (NG-CDF).
Rival Kenya Kwanza and Azimio MPs teamed up to frustrate the afternoon business of the August House.
Rising on a point of order, Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi urged fellow members to suspend any ongoing legislative business until the pertinent matter is adequately addressed.
Subsequently, lawmakers collectively walked out of the chambers, causing a quorum hitch merely an hour into the afternoon sitting.
This disruption ultimately prompted the adjournment of the House.
Shouting “no bursaries, no recess”, the lawmakers had vowed not proceed for the long break without a commitment on the disbursement of the NGCDF.
Deputy Speaker Gladys Shollei was forced to adjourn the House prematurely following a quorum hitch.
“The house would be in order to decline to transact any other business in expressing empathy with the thousands of children of poor Kenyans out there who do not know how they will go back to school,” Wandayi said.
Majority Leader Kimani Ichungwa told the House that he has engaged the National Treasury on the matter seeking commitment on when the disbursement will be made as MPs head to recess.
During the Senate session, Speaker Amason Kingi was compelled to suspend proceedings on Wednesday morning due to a lack of quorum.
A minimum of 15 senators is necessary for any business to be conducted in the House.
In a demonstration of protest, senators also boycotted the session on Wednesday, citing prolonged delays in the release of funds from the National Treasury designated for staff salary payments.
“My staff have not received their pay. My office will be locked down if I fail to pay rent. How shall we serve under these circumstances?” posed Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei
He called on Speaker Amason Kingi to intervene in their 'embarrassing' state by asking the National Treasury to expedite their payment process.
In the afternoon, Speaker Kingi forced to adjourn Senate as Senators walked out inthe middle of the debate.
During the week, the government tabled a Bill in Parliament that seeks to entrench the controversial Housing Levy in law in a bid to avert a possible revocation by the courts.
Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah on Thursday tabled the Affordable Housing Bill 2023, weeks after the High Court declared the levy charged at 1.5 per cent of the gross salary of an employee unconstitutional.
A three-judge Bench last month declared the housing levy unconstitutional for being discriminatory and creating unequal principles, dealing a blow to President William Ruto’s housing programme.
The National Government Administration Laws (Amendment) Bill 2023 was also introduced in the National Assembly.
The Bill seeks to, among other things, establish and better define the role of Chief Administrative Secretaries (CASs).
It seeks to make various amendments to four Acts and is viewed as a route to revive the CAS position that was declared unconstitutional by the High Court in July this year.