MPs get more cash for cars, new houses

Parliamentary Budget Committee Chairman Mutava Musyimi (left) and Cabinet Secretary for Treasury Henry Rotich at a past function. The commission had requested Sh24.5 billion in the current financial year but this was reduced to Sh19 billion which made it difficult to implement plans for MPs and parliamentary staff. PHOTO | SALATON NJAU (NAIROBI)  

In Summary

• The commission had requested Sh24.5 billion in the current financial year but this was reduced to Sh19 billion which made it difficult to implement plans for MPs and parliamentary staff.
• In the report tabled before the House by committee chairman Mutava Musyimi Tuesday, the committee said the adjustments were guided by the need to allocate cash to priority areas.

By CAROLINE WAFULA
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MPs are set to get more money to buy cars and houses.


 

The Parliamentary Service Commission will get Sh5 billion after the supplementary budget team yielded to pressure from the MPs.

The commission had requested Sh8.3 billion but had been allocated Sh1 billion by the Treasury.

When they met the Budget team, the commission cited mortgage, car loan, committee operations, and refurbishment of buildings and payment of rents as some of the areas that had been under-funded.

JSC BUDGET CUT

The commission had requested Sh24.5 billion in the current financial year but this was reduced to Sh19 billion which made it difficult to implement plans for MPs and parliamentary staff.

According to the commission, the bare minimum that was required in supplementary estimates for the 2013/2014 financial year was Sh7.8 billion

.

Each MP is entitled to a car loan of Sh7 million and a mortgage of Sh20 million, with each of these payable by the end of the term of Parliament.

For mortgage, the commission had initially asked for Sh4.5 billion and an additional Sh2.5 billion to cover the shortfall. It requested Sh 700 million to fund car loans in the initial Supplementary Estimates and an additional of the same amount.

PSC had also been allocated Sh 1.4 billion in the 2013/2014 draft estimates for construction of an office block but the Treasury struck out the allocation.

The Judiciary on the other hand has suffered a major cut with the committee proposing a reduction of Sh500 million from its allocation meant for construction of buildings. The move follows recent threats by MPs to reduce budgetary allocation to the Judiciary in the ongoing conflict about separation of powers between the two arms of Government.

The committee further proposes reduction of allocations to the Salaries and Remuneration Commission meant for public sector wage conference by Sh50 million and to the National Gender Commission meant for refurbishment of buildings by Sh40 million.

In the report tabled before the House by committee chairman Mutava Musyimi Tuesday, the committee said the adjustments were guided by the need to allocate cash to priority areas.