416 legislators will forgo the Sh5,000 sitting allowance they receive for attending a House sittings/AFP
Speaker of the National Assembly Justin Muturi made the announcement as he led members of the National Assembly and Senate in joining thousands of Kenyans who had responded to an appeal by the Kenya Red Cross to donate blood.
“The leadership of the National Assembly has decided that each members’ sitting allowance for Tuesday shall be donated to the Kenya Red Cross to go and help those Kenyans that are still in hospital,” said Muturi who was flanked by Senate Speaker Ekwe Ethuro.
This means that each of the 416 legislators will forgo the Sh5,000 sitting allowance they receive for attending a House sittings.
This means the lawmakers will remit a little over Sh2 million to the kitty. By 11am on Tuesday morning, donations on M-PESA paybill 848484 alone had clocked Sh55,685,696.
The National Assembly Speaker also called for increased vigilance among Kenyans.
“As Kenyans, it is important that we remain together; we remain calm and allow our security agencies to do what they must do,” he said.
Meanwhile, both Houses are on Tuesday expected to suspend House business to discuss the Westgate mall attack which has so far claiming 62 lives.
Several legislators who talked to Capital FM News said the matter was of national interest that they would like to show unity with Kenyans.
An earlier plan to have joint sittings of the Senate and National Assembly was abandoned due to the procedure that would have been required to facilitate the historic sitting.
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