MPs threaten to question CS Njunguna over CDF billions

Cupboard Secretary for Nationwide Treasury and Financial Planning Prof Njuguna Ndung’u earlier than the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Price range on the County Corridor, Nairobi County on Could 17, 2023. PHOTO | DENNIS ONSONGO | NMG

MPs have threatened to question Treasury Cupboard Secretary Njuguna Ndung’u over delay to disburse Nationwide Authorities Constituency Improvement Fund (NG-CDF) billions.

The MPs drawn from each the ruling Kenya Kwanza alliance and Opposition Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition stated learners from poor households who rely on bursaries to pay charges threat being turned away from colleges.

The lawmakers stated the Treasury is but to disburse even a single cent for CDF regardless of a promise by President William Ruto to have the funds earlier than colleges reopen. Nationwide Meeting Speaker Moses Wetang’ula had additionally assured the MPs that the fund could be launched by the tip of December.

Learn: How Sh200bn mini price range money will likely be shared

Addressing a press convention at Parliament buildings yesterday, the over 20 MPs issued a seven-day ultimatum to Prof Ndung’u, or else they provoke a censure movement towards him. Additionally they threatened to engineer the sacking of NG-CDF chief Government CEO Yusuf Mbuno over the deadlock.

“No single cent has been disbursed on this respect with the consequence that pupils and college students are stranded everywhere in the nation. We should always have acquired at the least 75 p.c of the cash by now, which is round Sh43 billion, however up to now, we haven’t acquired something regardless of some utterances that you might have heard elsewhere,” stated Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo (ODM) in a joint press assertion.

Different MPs current on the press briefing included John Makali (Kanduyi), Steven Mogaka (West Mugirango), Jack Wamboka (Bumula), Martin Wanyonyi (Webuye East), Mark Mwenje (Embakasi West), James Nyikal (Seme), Joshua Oron (Kisumu Central) and Walter Owino (Awendo) and Majimbo Kalasinga of Kabuchai.

The MPs claimed a memo by the Treasury to CDF accounts supervisor informing that the fund can’t be launched till they recall and redo the proposals that they had submitted because of an modification to the CDF Act.

They requested why the amendments had been being launched within the third quarter of the 2023/24 monetary yr although they solely affected lower than six p.c of NG-CDF funds.

“These amendments ought to have been thought of within the 2024/25 monetary yr. As a bipartisan crew comprising members from each side, we demand the complete allocation of CDF have to be launched inside seven days as is due. If that’s not carried out we are going to name for a particular sitting of the Home and draft an acceptable movement towards the CS Treasury and the NG-CDF board,” stated the Rarieda MP.

Learn: Treasury allocates junior colleges Sh1 billion for constructing school rooms

Additionally current had been T.J Kajwang (Ruaraka), Julius Mawathe (Embakasi South), Samuel Atandi (Alego Usonga) and Millie Odhiambo (Suba North).

MP Kalasinga (Ford Kenya) claimed that the Treasury had reallocated cash meant for CDF to different ministries but mother and father and learners have been crowding their CDF places of work for bursaries.

“Colleges haven’t any school rooms and they’re relying on the discharge of those funds to assemble new ones. Youngsters have additionally reported again to high school and predict to learn from the bursaries which sadly haven’t been launched from the start of this monetary yr upto now,” stated Mr Kalasinga.

The fund is disbursed quarterly, implying that the constituencies ought to by now have acquired 75 p.c of the monies.

Some MPs stated that they had issued bursary types however haven’t any cash to present to the needy college students.

The lawmakers final month staged a walkout from the Home to protest the delay in releasing over Sh53.3 billion NG-CDF money.

The legislation units apart 2.5 p.c of the entire income raised nationally to be shared out among the many 290 constituencies.

Learn: 100 constituencies to lose Sh771m in new CDF formulation

In line with the brand new Constituency Improvement Act, the cash allotted for bursaries was elevated from 35 p.c to 40 p.c. It signifies that, out of the Sh53.3 billion, some Sh21.2 billion would go in the direction of bursaries.

Final month, President William Ruto and the Nationwide Treasury had assured MPs that the funds could be disbursed earlier than colleges reopen.

“I wish to guarantee members that there are assets for our youngsters to go to high school. That isn’t negotiable. We’ll cease different objects,” stated President Ruto.

He known as out the Nationwide Treasury for mendacity to Parliament that the fund would hit the constituency accounts by December.

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