Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna disclosed the staggering amount allocated to his GK vehicle for use on the Nairobi Expressway upon his appointment as the Deputy Minority Whip at the Senate.
On Wednesday morning, Sifuna used the Nairobi Expressway and was surprised to find Kes.377,000 remaining on his Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) card. The ETC system automatically pays the toll fees without requiring the vehicle to stop, making it convenient for frequent users of the expressway.
However, Sifuna highlighted the extravagant nature of the allocation, especially in light of the current economic climate.
He revealed this information during his submissions in the Senate, emphasizing the need for fiscal responsibility among elected politicians and State officers.
In the revised charges released on January 1, 2024, motorists pay between Kes.170 and Kes.500 to use the Nairobi Expressway.
Major Budget Cuts
Sifuna pointed out that even with the highest toll rate, the Kes.377,000 balance on his card was excessive and unnecessary. He stressed the importance of reducing politicians’ expenditures to alleviate the financial burden on Kenyan taxpayers.
“We need to relook at our budgets and see where we can make major cuts for the public to feel we’re lessening the budget,” Sifuna stated.
“When I became the Deputy Minority Whip, I was allocated a GK vehicle. On the first day that I used that car to go home, I used the expressway. I was shocked at the amount of money that is on my ETC card for my Parliamentary car. As of this morning, when I used that same car to come here, there is Ksh.377,000 on my ETC card. I honestly do not need such an amount of money.”
Sifuna’s call for fiscal prudence extends beyond personal allocations. He emphasized the need for all Members of Parliament and staff to be transparent and honest with the Kenyan public about their expenditures.
“It does not make sense. MPs and staff have to be honest with Kenyans. There are ways of reducing the expenditure in a manner that will reduce the burden on taxpayers. I don’t need all that money, even if I ran up and down the expressway for a year, I would never exhaust the amount. We must do this so that we demonstrate to the people that we are serious.”
Audit of the ODPP
Additionally, Sifuna called for an audit of all cases withdrawn by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP) in the past 24 months to determine the legal basis for these decisions. He questioned why a politician accused of stealing billions of shillings was let off the hook after agreeing to return Kes.300 million, referencing the recent settlement deal between the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and former Migori Governor Okoth Obado.
“I want to call for an audit of all the cases that have been withdrawn in the past 12 or 24 months so that we understand the legal basis for the withdrawal of these cases,” he stated.
Sifuna also addressed the planned salary hikes for lawmakers, clarifying that no Member of Parliament had recommended such increases. He asserted that the decision lies with the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC)
“Nobody asked for that increment, nobody I know asked for it. We should formally resolve that we as senators are not interested in any additional salaries,” the Nairobi Senator stated.
