A week-long parliamentary retreat in Mombasa hit a snag on Monday when lawmakers left the Pride Inn hotel proceedings in protest of the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF)’s delayed release.
The legislators questioned the delay in the funds, arguing that schools reopened on Monday, stranding thousands of parents who rely on the scheme to keep their children in class.
The MPs who demanded an audience with Treasury CS Njuguna Ndungu suggested that the funds used to fund their retreat be redirected to the CDF.
The legislators, led by Yatta MP Basil Ngui, demanded the funds be released before the week-long induction could begin.
“Education supersedes everything, na sahii hakuna mambo ya induction, we want money… kama hamna pesa hamna induction,” Yatta MP Basil Robert Ngui said on Monday.
“Watoto wa maskini wako nyumbani na Watoto wa mwatajiri wako shuleni.. for all students to go to school, the government has to release CDF money,”
Members of Parliament were scheduled to attend a week-long induction workshop in Mombasa beginning Monday, January 23.
They were to be inducted the role of committees in carrying out their mandate as provided for under the Standing Orders.
The programme was to provide participants with an opportunity to be taken through the place of Committees in the National Assembly and the roles of Members of Parliament in their respective Committees.
