No more meetings in fancy hotels as MPs start considering Ruto's budget cuts
Bunge Tower in Nairobi County in this picture taken on April 10, 2024.
National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula has banned all parliamentary committees from holding meetings in fancy hotels as the government's recently announced austerity measures begin to bite.
The National Assembly committees are expected to start meeting on Monday to, among other things, consider the supplementary estimates and supplementary appropriations to give effect to the government's revised budget following the rejection of the Finance Bill, 2024.
In a communication dated July 12, Mr Wetang'ula told the committees to hold their sittings within the precincts of Parliament.
“Ensure that in line with the current austerity measures and the expenditure reductions, the attendant sittings of committees are held within the precincts of parliament,” Mr Wetang’ula said.
Available meetings
“Should the available meeting rooms be inadequate, any affected committee (s) is to hold sittings in other government facilities,” added the speaker.
The Budget and Appropriations Committee, chaired by Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro, is expected to conduct public participation on the supplementary estimates for the 2024/25 financial year.
A report from the committee is expected to be tabled in Parliament on or before Wednesday, July 24, 2024.
During the opening of Bunge Towers in April this year, Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah said the Budget and Appropriations Committee alone spends Sh1.5 million every day for two weeks each year in retreat to consider the budget estimates.
Hotels such as Norfolk, Boma in South C, Weston, Hilton Garden Inn, Windsor Golf Hotel and Country Club, Ole Sereni, Eka Hotel, Panari, Tamarind, Trademark, Radisson Blu, Four Points by Sheraton, Airport Hotel, Sarova Panafric in Nairobi have become favourite places for MPs to hold meetings.
