Women MPs protest Sh500 million budget slash

In the wake of a Cabinet dispatch foretelling looming budget cuts in critical sectors, women representatives from across the counties are decrying the slashing of Sh500 million from the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF).

The specter of loosing even more money through further nationalization played out on the floor of the House after the 47 leaders, led by Busia Woman Representative Catherine Omanyo, termed the move a direct threat to devolution and grassroots initiatives targeting women, youth and vulnerable groups.

“This is deeply disheartening. Mr. Speaker, the 47 Woman Reps in this country are bleeding right now. All of them have been castrated with a blunt Burdizzo. We usually think on our feet and ahead of the curve by planning. Everybody here plans. And when you plan and somebody comes and puts a hitch, then you are left with theory but no pragmatism,” stated Omanyo.

Her sentiments came against the backdrop of a revelation by Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi that NGAAF would be a victim of the budget cuts which would see the kitty reduced from Sh3.2 billion to Sh2.7 billion in line with a plan by Government to systematically cut down on expenditure.

The women reps were consequently convinced that the cut would adversely affect their ability to deliver on their mandate.

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 “The money itself is meagre, too little to begin with. We demand that the Sh500 million must find its way back to the NGAAF kitty. Mr. Speaker, how do I go to Busia and tell them I am representing them, if the money was taken while I sat here pretending to be sober?” she posed.

Mombasa Woman Representative Zamzam Mohammed also chimed in, and brought to the fore concerns over what she termed as contradictory statements by the Treasury over what caused the cut.

“Women from 47 counties have been looked down upon. I asked the Treasury CS, and he claimed the monies were deducted in Parliament, yet it is clear they were deducted at the Treasury. I urge our constituents not to turn their anger on us. This is not our doing,” she observed.

Laikipia Woman Representative Jane Kagiri, who also doubles as the chair of the 47 Women Representatives Caucus, said that they would move to National Treasury to protest the decision.

“We are wearing black to mourn this deduction, which is an injustice not only to us but to the people of Kenya. Pink represents the NGAAF colours. We will march to both the NGAAF offices and the National Treasury to demand accountability,” said Kagiri.

The deduction of funds was also criticized by Eldas MP Adan Keynan who termed it a terming it a “regressive” step that “reverses hard won gains for women in political leadership through the 2010 constitution.”

“It’s not fair to deny them a right that has already been granted. I want to appeal to the mandarins at Treasury to show consideration when making such decisions. Women are the majority of voters in this country. Denying them Sh500 million is not just unfair it is politically and morally wrong,” said Keynan.

And on his part, Budget and Appropriations Committee Chairperson Samuel Atandi pledged to intervene on behalf of the leaders on the matter, and would urge Treasury to release the monies by invoking Article 223.

“As a matter of responsibility, I will meet with Treasury officials and push for the invocation of Article 223 of the Constitution to facilitate the release of the withheld funds,” he submitted.

Notably, Article 223 allows for the government to spend public funds not yet approved by Parliament in exceptional circumstances.

Further, NGAAF is run by women representatives with its goal being to empower affirmative action groups namely, women, youth, persons with disabilities(PWDs), vulnerable children, and elderly persons through expanding access to financial facilities for the promotion of enterprise development and provision of social development services at the constituency and county levels.