Anxiety gripped the Parliamentary Service Commission when Members of Parliament with offices at the prestigious Kenyatta International Convention Center (KICC) were locked out due to rent arrears.
Legislators who were stranded from the sudden move were Parliamentary Committee Chairpersons Ndindi Nyoro of Kiharu Constituency, Sam Atandi of Alego-Usonga, Babu Owino of Embakasi East, and John Methu, Senator for Nyandarua.
The management of KICC took the drastic move after the Parliamentary Service Commission failed to honour an outstanding KES 50 million rent arrears debt.
Through the umbrella Public Service Commission, Parliament told KICC that it has been tightening its budget and has already paid approximately KES 134 million initially owed to KICC. The balance of KES 50 million should therefore not warrant closure of offices.
The legislators who arrived unaware of the development looked embarrassed as they were turned away at the gate and blocked from accessing their offices. Parking bays reserved for parliamentary staff were notably vacant the whole of Monday.
Sources have revealed that talks are ongoing to save legislators further embarrassment.
The National government is said to be a poor customer with the Kenya Power and Lightning company and other service providers claiming huge bills outstanding.
Meanwhile, an official communication by the Director-general of Parliamentary Joint Services Mr. Clement Nyandiere to KICC management has emerged. Nyandiere has said the delay in payment of the accumulated arrears was owing to budgetary constraints and delays by the Exchequer to release the funds. He further pleaded that since Parliament was a longstanding tenant at KICC the management ought to exercise restraint before ejecting the MPs.
“We request that you allow the members of Parliament to continue accessing the facilities at KICC, including parking at COMESA grounds without interference,” said part of the letter by Clement Nyandiere.
The commission noted it had already paid KES 134 million this financial year, including KES 73 million for the 2023/2024 period and KES 61 million for the current financial year up to December 2024.
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