Nairobi News

National Cohesion and Integration Commission chairman Francis Ole Kaparo on Thursday tore into Members of County Assembly and Senators for using huge sums of tax payers’ money to attend this year’s legislative assembly forum in Mombasa only to turn it into a pleasure holiday.

Speaking at the Second Annual Legislative Summit at Pride Inn Paradise Beach Resort, Mr Kaparo said the delegates were transported to Mombasa at great cost to participate in an important forum only for them to go rioting at the beach and taking leisure escapades.

He said: “At a great cost, Kenyans brought you here to participate in this important meeting. You came here by air, air ticket paid for you, you were booked in luxurious five-star hotels but the seats are empty here.”

He added, “Kenyan leaders, I plead with you to take serious your roles and jobs. There must be seriousness, honestly. We must respect the public funds that we utilize in this forum. I may even go one step further and say, it may be time for us to rethink the whole concept of having all the meetings in Mombasa.”

He said, “Zamani nikiwa Speaker, mikutano serious kama hizi tunafanya katika national parks manaake mtapata shida sana kuwatembelea wanyama wa pori. Na kulikuwa na nafasi ya watu kujadiliana. Nawombeni viongozi wa Kenya, let us return work ethics and be mindful of time,” he said.

During the three days of the workshop save for the first day, most halls were half or quarter empty with most delegates found loitering around, resting at the beach or playing volleyball and other games.

This is a repeat of last year when most MCAs who attended the inaugural Legislative Summit in May 2016 spent most of the five days frolicking on the beach.

Other ward reps made a technical appearance at the conference venue and then vanished while others never showed up at all.

The Jomo Kenyatta public beach, which is usually deserted on weekdays, was a hive of activity as MCAs splashed in the water while others took leisurely walks on the sandy beach.