MPs questions Chirchir over Northern Kenya budget snub

MPs questions Chirchir over Northern Kenya budget snub 

Tuesday May 13, 2025 

The Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure, chaired by Ndia MP George Kariuki, lawmakers has raised concern with the Cabinet Secretary, Davis Chirchir over what they termed as “serious budgetary marginalisation” — particularly targeting the Northern region of Kenya.

Wajir North MP, Hon. Ibrahim Abdi Saney set the stage by calling out the glaring absence of government-funded infrastructure projects in his constituency. 

“Are we not Kenyans? Do we belong to a different country?” he questioned. “Am I not an elected Member like my colleagues? Why is it that when it comes to development, we are being sidelined?”

Sentiments echoed by Mandera East member of parliament, Hon. Abdirahman Weytan, 

"Equity was not exercised while preparing these budget estimates."

Hon. Saney further decried the fact that the only road project in the area was donor-funded, calling the trend a longstanding injustice that must end. 

His remarks drew support from fellow Committee Members, who called on CS Chirchir to revise the budget estimates and initiate affirmative action to correct the imbalance.

Further, it was revealed that several new road construction projects had been included in the FY 2025/26 budget. This drew more criticism from the lawmakers, given the backlog of stalled projects linked to pending bills. 

MPs reiterated their earlier advisory that the ministry should halt new projects until current ones are completed.

 NAMATA and LAPSSET were also a concern with lawmakers questioning their visibility and impact on the ground. 

“Where is the development?” Hon. Dawood Rahim asked bluntly, pointing to the lack of tangible progress despite hefty allocations.

Members also raised alarm over the State Department for Shipping and Maritime, which has suffered repeated budget cuts through in-year supplementary allocations. 

Lawmakers noted that the Department’s critical functions are now barely operational, calling for urgent budgetary intervention by the National Treasury.

In his response, CS Chirchir acknowledged the skewed allocation and assured the Committee that the budget is still under review. He said the Ministry remains committed to addressing the Northern region's concerns, stressing that constraints such as underfunding, delayed disbursements, have strained supplier relationships and hindered performance.

“The issues raised are valid,” CS Chirchir admitted. “But we’re working within a tight fiscal space. Nevertheless, we’ll ensure equity and affirmative programs are prioritized where they are most needed.”