Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has taken issue with National Treasury and Economic Planning Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi for failing to appear before the Senate.
Mbadi was set to appear before the Senate on Wednesday, September 18, and despite confirming his attendance, he failed to appear for the session.
Speaking before the committee, a visibly upset Sifuna expressed his frustrations over Mbadi’s decision to snub the summon terming it unacceptable.
“I’m very shocked… We woke up very early in the morning to come and attend this session. The question that I was supposed to put to CS Mbadi is a question that is over a year old,” he said.
Sifuna further accused Mbadi of disrespecting the Senate even though he served as a Member of Parliament and knows how things work in the two Houses.
“I want to tell Mbadi that this is unacceptable. It is worse that he was a Member of Parliament, if he had just been plucked from the wilderness like some of the other people I see maybe we would excuse him but he was a Member of Parliament
“As of yesterday, there was a communication that he had confirmed that he was going to come… At the very minimum, you should have written yesterday and said he was not going to be able to make it. We also have other businesses to attend,” he concluded.
Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua joined Sifuna in condemning Mbadi for failing to appear before the house saying, “According to Articles 132 and 153 of the Constitution, Cabinet is accountable to Parliament. When a Cabinet Secretary is required to appear before the Senate, everything else must stop.”
Nominated Senator Catherine Mumma also expressed her concerns over Mbadi’s decision to skip the session.
“It is not acceptable that the CS Treasury can choose to send a letter saying he cannot show up. We are asking him very pertinent questions,” she added.
Senate Deputy Speaker Kathuri Murungi who chaired the session agreed with the house that it was ill-mannered for the CS to send a letter of not appearing before the senators in the morning.
“It is not in order to receive a letter from CS John Mbadi when the session is on. The Senate can revoke Standing Order 51 (d) to censure the CS for failing to appear before this House without giving a probable cause,” he explained.
