As we daily discuss Shakahola, taxation, the house levies and how to vote in parliament, we have forgotten something as a country and it is going to affect us badly. We have neglected the plight of patriots who put the current government into office.
Thousands of Kenyans including Returning Officers, clerks, I.T. experts and numerous service providers continue to wonder in the dark about what happened to their dues after they faithfully delivered last year’s by-elections.
The Commission cannot conduct any election without adequate funding, so the question is, who is sitting on the monies owed to Kenyans six months after the completion of the election exercise last December?
We call them “IEBC officials” and “service providers”, but these are sons and daughters, mothers and fathers who served with total commitment and love for their country, sometimes with sleepless nights to deliver election results. Some went without food to ensure vigilance. Some left nursing babies at home. Some risked their very lives to get Kenya its leaders.
According to the Star Newspaper,quoting IEBC Deputy CEO, Obadiah Keitany, “ As of 4 April 2023, the commission had outstanding exchequer requests from the National Treasury amounting to Ksh4.362 billion.
This amount includes Ksh1.949 billion requested on various dates from 3 October 2022.”Keitany appeared before the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee on 4 April 2023, following the flagging of this matter by Kanduyi M.P. John Makali, who indicated that in Bungoma County alone, IEBC had not paid a single shilling to poll officials.
The Committee heard that in Bungoma, Ksh263.8 million is owed to officials, of which” Ksh119.6 million relates to payment of polling officials while Ksh144.2 million is due to suppliers and service providers during the August 2022 General Election and the subsequent senatorial by-election.”
Six By-elections were held on 8 December 2022. On 8 June 2023, these dedicated Kenyans clocked six months of waiting for their dues. The financial year will come to an end on 30th June.Where is the money owed to these loyal and patriotic Kenyans? Why on earth is Treasury not releasing the money for work done last year for a critical government service?
What is Parliament doing to ensure that the owed monies do not roll over to the next financial year and begin to attract interest as well as increase mental health challenges besides endless litigations which, themselves, would be quite costly on everybody? Where are social activists to champion the rights of our belovedbrothers and sisters, mothers and fathers?
Please pay these loyal, hard-working citizens their dues. They have been patient enough. Some expected to be paid before the end of the year at least to treat their families to new clothes or shoes, or make them a good Christmas meal.
Some parents who worked so hard for the Commission expected that they would use the money to pay school fees for their children come January. The second term is here and IEBC has still not paid.
I appeal to the President and all responsible Ministers and Treasury to do everything before 30th June to release these funds. I appeal to Parliament and especially the JLAC to expidite the process and conclude this matter quickly to avert the suffering of innocent, hard-working Kenyans.
It is the least the Kenya Kwanza government can do for a group of committed Kenyans that helped to put them in office and made our country to move on. These are fellow human beings with feelings like ours.
They gave their all. They have been patient enough. That nobody needs to remind you about, dear KK. Hebu tuwe na Utu kwa wenzetu. Hebu tuwape haki zao za kimsingi. Hebu tuonyeshe maadili kwa kuwajibika kwa matumizi ya serikali kwa kazi hii.
I write this as a responsible citizen, but more so, as a committed Christian to social justice who obeys God’s Word in Proverbs 31:8-9 to the letter. This is what it says:
“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”
I have simply obeyed what God tells me as a believer to do.
So help these helpless Kenyans, dear Lord!
