Senators have called out National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi for skipping a crucial Senate meeting, warning him against treating the House with disregard.
Their frustration stems from Mbadi’s failure to honor an invitation from the Senate Finance and Budget Committee to discuss the Budget Policy Statement (BPS) and the government’s medium-term debt management strategies.
Lawmakers were left waiting on Tuesday, only for the CS to send his responses later instead of appearing in person. The move sparked outrage, with senators accusing him of undermining parliamentary oversight.
In a unanimous decision, the committee rejected Mbadi’s submissions and insisted that he must appear before them.
Committee chairperson and Mandera Senator Ali Roba issued a stern warning, stating that the Senate would not tolerate defiant cabinet secretaries who snub critical government proceedings.
He pointed out that Mbadi’s predecessor, Professor Njuguna Ndung’u, had built a strong working relationship with the Senate by consistently attending meetings.
“We enjoyed a cordial working relationship with Prof. Ndung’u, who never failed to appear before us. We hope CS Mbadi has not carried the mentality of the National Assembly into his role as a cabinet secretary,” Roba stated.
“We are not a baraza where he just opts not to appear but sends responses,” he added.
Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale echoed the sentiments, stressing that the committee would not tolerate rogue ministers, regardless of their ties to the broad-based government.
“I hope Mbadi is not having what Americans call the feel-good effect. We will help you remember that while discharging our mandate, we are blind to broad-based government intrigues,” said the Senate Majority Whip.
However, when reached for comment, CS Mbadi defended his decision, arguing that his absence would not impact the committee’s report.
“I don’t think failure to appear before the committee will have any effect on their report. I shared my presentations, which can enrich their final report,” he stated.
Mbadi also pointed out that he had already presented the same BPS discussions before the National Assembly, suggesting that both houses should collaborate to avoid redundancy.
“I think the two houses should share the information to save Cabinet Secretaries from appearing in both houses to share the same information,” he added.
