A new committee will be reconstituted to take over the planning of the celebrations/FILE
On Friday he cracked the whip on the committee behind the exorbitant Sh2.5 billion budget to celebrate Kenya’s 50th birthday, describing it as ‘out of touch’ with reality.
Through a statement sent to newsrooms, Kenyatta announced the disbandment of the committee led by Interior Principal Secretary Mutea Iringo saying the members failed to factor in the current financial state of the country.
“By suggesting such an astronomical expenditure on celebrations, the committee clearly showed itself to be out of touch with the financial mood in government,” read the statement.
While relieving the committee of its duties, the Head of State argued that his administration had time and again called for prudence in the management of financial resources maintaining that the committee erred.
A new committee will now be reconstituted to take over the planning of the celebrations with State House providing oversight.
“It will have strong representation from the Ministry of Sports, Culture and Arts, which has expertise in this area, and will include other stakeholders, such as the private sector,” read the statement from State House.
Although Kenyatta admitted that the 50 year mark of Kenya’s independence deserved a grand celebration, he explained that blowing Sh2.5 billion on the one-week affair in a country where the majority struggled to make ends meet was misguided.
“Celebrations should and must be done within the context of a frugal government sensitive to the difficult economic conditions that currently prevail around the globe,” he said.
Members of the National Assembly and civil societies went up in arms when news of the Sh2.5 billion budget emerged.
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