The National Treasury has disbursed Sh4 billion to the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NGCDF) kitty after Members of Parliament on Monday protested delay in release of the fund.
The legislators will now continue with the induction seminar as scheduled as bursary allocation can start at constituency level.
The funds that total to Sh44 billion are set to be disbursed on a weekly basis with the constituencies set to receive Sh2 billion each week.
Addressing the media at Pride inn hotel in Mombasa, Eldama Ravine MP Musa Sirma who is also the chairperson of CDF committee said that they have received a total of Sh4billion and they expect to receive an addition of Sh2 billion by next week.
Musa said that they have agreed to continue with the workshop as they have settled whatever was bothering them with the Treasury.
“A sense has prevailed to the National Treasury because we told them what was important. The CDF kitty belongs to the people and MPs are only custodians. Now we can relax as we know our children are going back to school,” he said.
The law makers initially questioned the delay and were angered by the fact that the workshop was prioritised yet schools are reopening and members of the public are stranded in their constituencies waiting for bursaries.
They further claimed that the retreat was untimely and the funds could have been directed to the kitty to help needy students go back to school.
Yata MP Robert Basil lauded the move by the National Treasury to commit disbursement of the funds at a time when schools are reopening and children are waiting for bursaries to pay school fees.
“We are happy that we are on this training knowing that our children will go back to school with bursaries as CDF has been disbursed,” he said.
The legislators will undergo a week-long induction to equip them with an understanding of their mandate and how to effectively deliver on it.
Some of the lessons to be offered include the budget making process, committee inquiries, auditing reports, oversighting the government, preparing smart work plans, among others.
By Chari Suche
