Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna expressed his frustration in Parliament after Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi failed to attend a scheduled question-and-answer session, citing a meeting at State House as the reason for his absence.
Sifuna: This is not the John Mbadi I know. I don't know what they have done to him. He used to respect Parliament.
Treasury CS John Mbadi at State House, Nairobi
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The Q&A session had been set for the CS to respond to queries from the Senate, including a question that Sifuna said had been pending for over a year.
Speaking during the session, Sifuna, visibly agitated, said, "I am very shocked because, Honourable Chair, 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."
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna
Pulse Live Kenya
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Sifuna went on to accuse Mbadi, the former ODM chairperson, of quickly adopting the culture of dismissiveness he associates with the Kenya Kwanza government.
"It has taken him less than two weeks to become a proper Kenya Kwanza Cabinet Secretary who has no respect for this House. We cannot allow this because we want to engage with these CSs," he added.
Sifuna said that during former President Mwai Kibaki's era, if there was a matter before Parliament and another one before State House, the priority for Cabinet was Parliament.
The senator emphasised that Mbadi, as a former Member of Parliament, should know better.
"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. Has he even finished two weeks?" Sifuna questioned, referring to Mbadi's recent appointment as Treasury CS.
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Sifuna expressed further disappointment, citing that communication had been made as of the previous day confirming Mbadi’s attendance.
"As of yesterday, there was already communication that he had confirmed he was going to come. Kwani these State House meetings just come up on people like a surprise party?" he quipped.
Watch Senator's Sifuna's remarks below:
In his concluding remarks, Sifuna called for CS Mbadi to be held accountable for his actions.
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"This is not the John Mbadi I know. I don't know what they have done to him. He used to respect Parliament," he added.
Sifuna's remarks highlighted growing frustrations among lawmakers who expect more cooperation and respect from Cabinet Secretaries.
