Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has voiced his disapproval of National Treasury and Economic Planning Cabinet Secretary (CS) John Mbadi for failing to attend a scheduled Senate session.
Mbadi had confirmed that he would appear before the Senate on Wednesday, September 18, but did not show up.
During the session, Senator Sifuna openly expressed his frustration over the CS’s absence, calling it unacceptable.
“I’m shocked… We made an effort to be here early for this session. The question I wanted to ask CS Mbadi has been pending for over a year,” Sifuna remarked.
He went on to criticize Mbadi, noting that as a former Member of Parliament, he should be well aware of the importance of attending such sessions.
“It’s disappointing that Mbadi, who once served in Parliament, would ignore this responsibility. If he had no parliamentary background, we might understand, but this is not the case. He should have at least informed us in advance if he wasn’t going to attend,” Sifuna added.
Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua also condemned Mbadi’s absence. He pointed out that according to the Kenyan Constitution (Articles 132 and 153), the Cabinet is accountable to Parliament, and a Cabinet Secretary should prioritize Senate sessions when summoned.
“When a CS is required to appear before the Senate, all other duties should take a back seat,” Wambua stressed.
The previous day, on September 17, 2024, CS Mbadi had appeared before the Senate Committee on Finance and Budget to address a financial crisis affecting Kenyan counties.
The meeting discussed a contentious proposal to reduce Ksh 20 billion from counties’ shareable revenue for the fiscal year. Mbadi informed the senators that due to a revenue shortfall of Ksh 316.7 billion from the previous year, the government could not borrow additional funds to meet counties’ demands of Ksh 400.1 billion.
Mbadi explained that a large portion of the Ksh 2.63 trillion national budget was already earmarked for debt repayment and public salaries, leaving little room for other expenses. However, senators expressed strong opposition to the proposed cuts, insisting that counties should receive at least Ksh 400 billion to ensure they can continue delivering essential services.
FOLLOW OUR WHATSAPP CHANNEL FOR MORE UPDATES
SHARE THIS POST