The Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) has passed the publication of a constitutional amendment bill seeking to return the country to a parliamentary governance system.
The PBO has allowed for the discussion of the draft by West Mugirango MP Vincent Mogaka who wants Cabinet Secretaries picked from Parliament to save on the cost of sustaining them.
The office has agreed with Mogaka's proposal that MPs handed the flag be awarded Sh400,000 monthly responsibility allowance, down from the Sh924, 000 earned by the CSs.
“The financial implication of the bill arises from the fact that where CSs are appointed from among MPs, there will be a reduced number of state officers. There will be cost savings in terms of security personnel, travel costs among others,” the PBO says.
In his bill, Mogaka also wants them given their initial name Cabinet Ministers.
The move will also save the nation millions in guzzlers and fuel allocated to the CSs as the MPs will only use their cars, pension, security personnel and family health covers.
The PBO acknowledged that should the bill pass, the nation will have returned to the parliamentary system, but the bill is not clear on whether they will be picked from the National Assembly or the Senate.
“The enactment of this bill will take us to a parliamentary system where the Executive will be partly in the House. There may be no distinct separation of powers between the Executive and Legislature as provided for in the Constitution,” it added.
The same is one of the changes that have been proposed by the political leaders who have been pushing for a referendum, under the leadership of ODM party chief Raila Odinga.
Raila and team also want an expansion of the executive arm of government to house more individuals, as a way of eradicating the 'winner takes it all' system.