Why Mps Have been Ordered To Pay The State Sh19 Million
Fifteen Members of parliament MPs have been ordered to pay the state Sh19 million in per diems that had been sent to their accounts ahead of a United Nations conference that has since been cancelled due to the Coronavirus outbreak.
National Assembly speaker Justin Muturi yesterday directed that the Mps immediately refund the money after the 64th Session of the Commission on the status of Women (CSW64) in New York next week was called off.
“Those members that were to travel, you will know what to do with whatever facilitation that may have landed in your accounts. You must therefore make a complete and total refund,” the Speaker directed.
The lawmakers consisting of a 13-member delegation, including nine women MPs and four Parliament staff had been paid Sh120,000 per day in allowances for the 11 days (9th-20th march) they would be away.
The speaker said official communication from UN Secretary General’s office cancelling the trip due to the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).
Countries expected at the conference will be represented by their parliament missions currently in the United states. The event will only take one day instead of the two weeks.
The Speaker also warned that the virus scare might affect other scheduled international trips by MPs in the future.
“The House should note that the ongoing pandemic may affect other future travel. I, therefore, request members to be patient and bear with us on this matter of international magnitude,” he said.
