Cabinet Retreat

Parliament is on Thursday set to receive an explanation on a planned retreat to the Coast for ministers and their assistants.

Internal Security Assistant minister Orwa Ojodeh was forced to respond on behalf of the Office of the President to a query by Garsen MP Danson Mungatana.

Mr Mungatana asked OP to give a breakdown of the costs of the trip- said to be a bonding and relaxation retreat by the team of ministers and their assistants, who number 96.

He also sought to know when money for the trip was budgeted for and approved by Parliament.

“I do not remember passing a vote for bonding and relaxation of ministers and their assistants. All these will be done at the taxpayers’ cost,” said the Garsen legislator.

He also sought to know what the intention of the trip was and what Cabinet wishes to realise by taking its members to the sun and sand Mombasa is famous for.

The Front Bench was virtually empty at the time and Mr Mungatana wondered whether the planned retreat was the reason behind this.

Mr Mungatana accused the government side of 'misbehaving' by absenting themselves from the House, ostensibly to prepare for the retreat, which is set to begin on Friday, yet some had already left Nairobi by Wednesday.

Questions to the Forestry and Wildlife, Information and Communications and Justice and Constitutional Affairs ministries went unanswered as the ministers were absent.

Mr Ojodeh claimed the ministers were at a climate change meeting at the Intercontinental Hotel chaired by Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

Inquiries confirmed only Noah Wekesa, the Forestry minister, and the Prime Minister were in attendance.