Wetangula bans MPs from conducting meetings in hotels

In a communication to the House on Friday, Wetangula noted that the sittings can be held in other government facilities should the meeting rooms be inadequate and not in luxurious hotels as is the norm. 

The speaker acknowledged receipt of Supplementary Estimates of the Financial Year 2024/25 from the National Treasury that will seek to rationalise the Ksh.3.9 trillion budget and actualise budget cuts from the three arms of the government. 

Wetangula made the communication in line with the National Assembly Standing Orders that requires a speaker to cause the transmission of any message received from the Executive when the members are on recess. The matter is then picked up when they resume sittings. 

He directed the Budget and Appropriations Committee to guide the process, collect views from the public and report to the House before Wednesday, July 24. This will enable the House consider the Supplementary Estimates and the required legislation needed to actualise the proposed expenditure cuts. 

Wetangula also directed Samuel Njoroge, the clerk of the National Assembly, to circulate the notification to all MPs, publish the Supplementary Estimates on the parliamentary website, facilitate the relevant committees to consider the estimates and ensure the sittings are conducted in Parliament. 

President William Ruto’s administration has been under fire in the past month with Kenyans calling for the public expenditure to be reduced to reflect the status quo. Government officials were also accused of flaunting lavish lifestyles at a time when the public is grappling with the high cost of living. 

This led to anti-government protests that saw President Ruto drop the Finance Bill 2024 and subsequently dissolve his Cabinet. 

Further, he implemented other austerity measures to cut down on expenditure including scrapping from the budget the offices of the First and Second Lady, reducing the number of advisors in government by 50 per cent, dissolving 47 state corporations with overlapping functions. 

He also announced that confidential budgets in Executive offices were removed as well as budget for renovations in government were reduced by 50 per cent.