Forget flights, its train for MPs going to Mombasa for EALA games
Passengers board a Madaraka Express train to Mombasa at the Nairobi terminus.
Members of Parliament taking part in the Inter-Parliamentary games will travel to Mombasa by train, not by air as they are used to, Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetang’ula has announced.
This, he said, is part of cost-cutting undertaken by the government. The games are scheduled for December 6 to 18, 2024.
“I invite you members to Mombasa for the friendly games of the East African region where parliaments of eight African countries will be...You, including your Speaker, will travel to Mombasa by SGR. Organise with the clerk's office to indicate when you want to travel,” Mr Wetang’ula said Tuesday.
He said the move to use SGR will also help Parliament facilitate as many MPs as possible to participate in the games.
Majority leader Kimani Ichung’wah said he supports the decision to use the passenger train.
“We shall all join the Speaker who will be on the SGR to Mombasa on December 6 at 6am. Being the host, all 349 MPs are expected to be in Mombasa,” Mr Ichung’wah said.
Expenditure slashed
In August, President William Ruto signed into law the Supplementary Appropriation Bill, 2024, which reduced government expenditure plans by billions for the 2024/25 financial year.
Following this, the National government suffered a reduction of Sh145.7 billion consisting of Sh40 billion for recurrent expenditure and Sh105 billion for development expenditure.
The Executive’s budget was reduced by a total of Sh139.81 billion drawn from various ministries. Parliament suffered a reduction of its budget by Sh3.7 billion while Judiciary suffered a cut of Sh.2.1 billion.
The 2024/24 Financial Year budget was to be funded through additional revenue measures amounting to Sh344.4 billion as contained in the Finance Bill, 2024. However, after the Gen Z protests and opposition to the Bill by various stakeholders, President Ruto declined to assent to it, creating a gap of similar amount.
In July, speaker Wetang’ula banned all parliamentary committees from holding meetings at fancy hotels in line with austerity measures announced by President Ruto.
“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 at the time.
