Senators
are set to be given Sh1 billion to monitor how the national and county
governments are implementing devolution.
The
lawmakers will receive the money in the next financial year, beginning in June.
The senators have been pushing for an allocation for some time.
The
National Assembly’s Budget and Appropriation Committee, chaired by Gachoka MP
Mutava Musyimi, included the amount in the Budget Statement.
The
figure was initially put at Sh1.4 billion, but on Tuesday, the committee said
it had reduced it to Sh1 billion.
The
committee has proposed Sh2.1 billion for the 47 women representatives in the
next financial year.
The
senators, who are mandated by the Constitution to protect the interests of
counties and their governments, become the third set of legislators to control
an allocation after MPs and women representatives.
Elected
MPs have the Constituency Development Fund, while women reps have the Social
Affirmative Action Fund.
Senators
have in the past complained about the lack of an allocation for them to monitor
how governors use funds given to them each year. Past attempts to secure an
independent vote for this purpose were ineffectual.
The
lawmakers have been complaining about the lack of offices in counties, saying
this hampered their work.
Mr
Musyimi said the allocation had been provided “after a careful review of all
the requests for additional resources as recommended by various committees and
having taken into account the submission on projected resources for the
2015/2016 financial year”.
INADEQUATE
FUNDING
Mr
Musyimi read the Budget Policy Statement to MPs on Tuesday.
Meru
Senator Kiraitu Murungi has been vocal about the need to allocate House members
more funds to enable them to better perform their constitutional role.
Last
year, Mr Murungi said senators were struggling to carry out their
constitutional duties as a result of inadequate funding.
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