The National Treasury building in Nairobi. [Photo/ Business Daily]The MPs have demanded that Treasury CS Henry Rotich releases the 2017/2018 CDF funds which amounts to Sh30.9 billion, warning that the kitty is central to their core responsibility.However, the National Assembly Majority leader Aden Duale has defended the Treasury saying that the constituency CDF officials caused the delay.“There was no way the Treasury CS could release money when the CDF committees have not been legally gazetted. The constituency committee members have been approved by the House, they were gazetted last Friday and now the minister will release the funds this week,” Duale told the Star on Sunday via phone.The new National Government Constituency Development Fund law bars MPs from managing the kitty while limiting their involvement to oversight role.“Now MPs re not responsible for any misappropriation of CDF funds because they are not directly involved in its management. Its daily operations are with the constituency Constituency Development Committees,” Duale added.Last Wednesday afternoon session turned stormy when members demanded answers from National Assembly leadership following Duale's earlier assurance that money would be released by December.
Turkana South MP James Lomenen warned that MPs cannot vet President Uhuru Kenyatta's cabinet nominees yet their welfare was not considered.
“We are preparing to employ people like cabinet secretaries and principal secretaries. However, our own welfare and our funds, which we oversee, are not yet in place. Do you think we will be in a conducive environment to do such things if the welfare of members is not considered?” Lomenen said as quoted by the paper.