Members of the National Assembly Committee on Social Protection on Saturday, November 30, put the National Treasury Principal Secretary Chris Kiptoo on notice over continued absences to house summonses.
This time, the PS missed a crucial meeting that was expected to address the funding mechanisms of the Inua Jamii Program.
“The Principal Secretary, Treasury, is required to appear before the Committee on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, for structured and meaningful deliberations,” Thika MP Alice Ng’ang’a, who chairs the committee stated.
“This is a Parliamentary sitting and must be accorded the respect it deserves. Kenyans’ lives are at stake, and this Committee is here to serve them.”
Principal Secretary, National Treasury Chris Kiptoo at the National Assembly on July 22, 2024.
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National Assembly Committees
The committee sought to field questions to the PS on why unclaimed funds from the programme had not been returned to the State Department for Social Protection and Senior Citizens Affairs.
Commonly known as ‘claw-back’ funds, they are unclaimed funds that fail to be assessed once deposited to beneficiaries’ accounts due to several challenges including death.
Once unclaimed, these millions of shillings are re-channeled by banks to the National Treasury and are supposed to be redistributed to serve in other sectors.
Even though the ministry insisted that these funds should be returned to support additional beneficiaries, the MPs were not convinced and the PS had been invited to delve deeper into the matter.
Currently, the programme has enrolled over 500,000 new recipients who need all the help they can get.
His absence prompted frustration among the lawmakers who noted that Dr Kiptoo’s absence was a recurring issue. They stated that he had demonstrated a lack of seriousness toward a matter that was affecting millions of vulnerable Kenyans.
The committee, which also handles matters concerning people living with disabilities, however, got to engage Joseph Motari, Principal Secretary for Social Protection on the Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2023.
It aims to enhance the rights and freedoms of persons with disabilities and strengthen the National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD). It will be tabled in parliament on December 3.
National Treasury PS on July 23, 2024, presenting Consolidated Fund Services under the Supplementary 1 Budget estimates for FY 2024/25.
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The National Treasury & Economic Planning