Parlt ‘likely’ to run out of funds

By HELEN TARAWA
PARLIAMENT may run out of funds this year due to budget cuts, Clerk Vela Konivaro says.
He told The National that the estimated annual budget for parliament was K140 million to K150 million a year.
The budget for 2018 was K117 million and this year it had been cut by a million and with that kind of funding, Parliament is likely to run out of funds by August or September this year.
“We have lots of service providers and contractors we cannot pay with that kind of money,” Konivaro said.
“Our usual funding for goods and services is totally insufficient, even to cater for the cost of damage and repair.
“We pay for the exorbitant bills and for the next two weeks we do not have any funding for operational costs.
“All the funds that come to Parliament are for personnel emoluments for MPs which amount to about K10 million per month.
“The budget cut that we received this year has affected us.”
Konivaro said a report of damage caused to Parliament was approved by the Parliamentary committee which was forwarded to the prime minister and relevant ministers had not received any response.