Human Rights Activist Boniface Mwangi has urged the national government to reduce the number of nominated Senators to help cut expenditure amid economic constraints.
In a statement shared on his X, Boniface said that the current 21 nominated Senators have no clear role adding that some can’t vote during the senate proceedings on matters affecting the country.
The activist further suggested that the number of nominated senators be reduced to three or that the national government should get rid of them altogether.
“The senate has 21 nominated senators with no clear role, and they can’t even vote. Reduce the number of nominated senators to 3 or get rid of those joyriders altogether,” he said.
Boniface Mwangi stated that the money used to pay the salaries of the nominated senators can be allocated to other sectors for public use.
“What value do they add? The Ksh30 million saved every month from their salaries could be used to do public good,” he said.
The Senate has 21 nominated senators with no clear role, and they can’t even vote. Reduce the number of nominated senators to 3 or get rid of those joyriders altogether. What value do they add? The 30 million saved every month from their salaries could be used to do public good.
— The People’s Watchman (@bonifacemwangi) July 4, 2024
Budget cut
Following the rejection of the Finance Bill 2024, on June 28, 2024, President William Ruto sent the County Allocation of Revenue Bill back to Parliament for expenditure cuts and signed the Appropriations Bill, subject to an adjusted supplementary budget, to ensure funding for critical services.
Speaking during a media interview on June 30, 2024, at State House, Nairobi, Ruto said that the budgets allocated to the offices of First Lady Rachel Ruto, and that of Second Lady Dorcas Rigathi would be scraped.
In the Finance Bill 2024, the Office of the First Lady was allocated Ksh696 million, Ksh100 million more than the previous financial year while the Second Lady was allocated Ksh557 million, a reduction of Ksh160 million from the 2023/24 budget.
“As it stands, the government will save Ksh.1.2 billion by dropping budgetary allocations to the two offices which Kenyans have termed as unconstitutional,” Ruto said.
The Financial Year 2024/25 Budget was to be funded through additional revenue measures amounting to Ksh346 billion contained in the Finance Bill 2024, which Ruto declined to assent to.