MPs Clash With Controller Of Budget

Members of Parliament have expressed anger and frustration with Controller of Budget Dr. Margaret Nyakang’o, accusing her of being ill-prepared during a meeting with a parliamentary committee.

The National Assembly Committee on Cohesion and Equal Opportunities sent Dr. Nyakang’o away on Thursday after she failed to present a detailed report addressing accountability concerns within her office.

The committee, chaired by Mandera West MP Hon. Adan Yussuf Haji, had summoned the Controller of Budget to answer questions about employment diversity and the 30% budget allocation for youth, women, and persons with disabilities.

The session, held at the Bunge Tower in Nairobi, turned tense after Dr. Nyakang’o arrived over an hour late and admitted she had not brought enough copies of the report that MPs were expecting.

“I only have one copy of the report with me. I am waiting for my team to bring copies for the Members,” she said, as she asked the committee for more time.

Her remarks did not go down well with the MPs, who accused her of wasting their time and showing a lack of seriousness.

Nyeri Town MP Duncan Mathenge criticized her for showing up unprepared despite receiving the committee’s invitation 10 days earlier.

“She was supposed to submit the documents two days before appearing so that we could read them in advance. Why should she be asking for more time now to make changes?” said Mathenge.

He noted that Dr. Nyakang’o has gained the trust of Kenyans as a credible government official, and said her actions did not reflect that image.

Committee chair Adan Haji echoed the concerns, saying it was disappointing that the Controller of Budget came without proper documents.

“You had enough time to prepare, and this meeting is too important to be taken lightly. We have no choice but to send you back to get ready and return at a later date,” said Haji.

In her response, Dr. Nyakang’o apologized for the delay, explaining that technical challenges had disrupted the printing of the report.

“I sincerely apologize to the Committee for the inconvenience caused. I respect your directive and I am ready to appear before you again when requested,” she said.