In a hurry? Here’s a quick summary…
- Senator Edwin Sifuna criticized Treasury CS John Mbadi for skipping a Senate Q&A session, citing a State House meeting.
- Sifuna expressed frustration over the lack of respect for Parliament and called for Mbadi to be held accountable.
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna voiced his frustration in Parliament after Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi failed to attend a scheduled question-and-answer session, citing a State House meeting as the reason for his absence.
The session was meant for Mbadi to address queries from the Senate, including a question that Sifuna said had been pending for over a year.
Visibly agitated, Sifuna expressed his shock, stating, “We woke up very early in the morning to attend this session.
The question I was supposed to ask CS Mbadi has been pending for over a year.
” He accused Mbadi, the former ODM chairperson, of quickly adopting a dismissive attitude, which he associates with the Kenya Kwanza government, adding, “It has taken him less than two weeks to become a proper Kenya Kwanza Cabinet Secretary who has no respect for this House.”
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Sifuna emphasized that, during former President Mwai Kibaki’s administration, Parliament was always prioritized over other engagements, including those at State House.
He argued that, as a former Member of Parliament, Mbadi should be well aware of this precedent. “If he had just been plucked from the wilderness like some of the others, maybe we would excuse him. But he was a Member of Parliament. Has he even finished two weeks?” Sifuna questioned, referring to Mbadi’s recent appointment as Treasury CS.
Further expressing his disappointment, Sifuna mentioned that communication had been made the day before, confirming Mbadi’s attendance.
He sarcastically remarked, “Kwani these State House meetings just come up on people like a surprise party?”
In his closing remarks, Sifuna called for accountability, stating, “This is not the John Mbadi I know. I don’t know what they have done to him. He used to respect Parliament.”
His remarks reflected growing frustrations among lawmakers who are demanding more cooperation and respect from Cabinet Secretaries.