MPs demand allowance for staying in hotel rooms

Members of the 12th Parliament are demanding an accommodation allowance to cater for the days when they are required to attend Parliamentary sittings.

Parliament sits for three days in the week: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with committee sittings normally scheduled for Mondays.

The new demand comes despite a Sh20 million mortgage for a town house that is backed by the State.

A committee proposed the new allowance after making a visit to New Zealand where they learnt that MPs receive about Sh400,000 every time they travel to the capital for sittings.

Parliamentary Service Commission

"The committee also observed that during the financial year 2018/2019, among other programmes, the commission budgeted for facilitation of members of Parliament accommodation when they come to Nairobi to discharge their legislative work.

"The committee observed that the said budget may not have been expended and was therefore interested in knowing the status of implementation of the specific allocation," a report tabled in Parliament observed.

The report further noted that PSC had been sluggish in implementing the changes proposing that a law be invoked to compel it to act.

"The committee is, therefore, concerned and wishes to invoke the provisions of Article 254 (2) of the Constitution and recommend to the National Assembly to require the commission to report on the implementation of the matters contained in the second report of the committee adopted on August 15, 2018," the report recommended.

The MPs have also been agitating for changes to facilities offered at the House including provision of gourmet meals at the cafeteria as well as better services at the lounge.