United Opposition Demands CS John Mbadi Summoned Over National Infrastructure Fund Claims
Leaders from Kenya’s opposition coalition have called on Parliament to summon John Mbadi to clarify what they term as major contradictions surrounding the proposed National Infrastructure Fund (NIF), a financial vehicle expected to mobilise trillions of shillings for development projects.
Speaking during a press briefing on Thursday afternoon, opposition leaders led by Kalonzo Musyoka accused the Treasury Cabinet Secretary of providing conflicting information about the legal and constitutional status of the fund when appearing before parliamentary committees and in court documents.
The opposition claims that statements made by Mbadi to legislators suggested that the fund would operate as a public fund under parliamentary oversight. However, an affidavit allegedly filed in court paints a different picture regarding the nature of the entity.
Addressing journalists, Kalonzo said the issue raises serious questions about transparency and accountability in the management of what has been described as a Ksh5 trillion infrastructure financing framework.
“These concerns on NIF are directly confirmed by the conduct of John Mbadi, in an affidavit, consistently presenting the Fund to parliamentary committees as a public fund subject to parliamentary oversight,” Kalonzo stated.
According to the opposition leaders, details contained in the affidavit indicate that the proposed National Infrastructure Fund may not legally qualify as a public fund as defined under Article 206 of the Constitution.
Kalonzo said it was particularly troubling that the entity may not have been formally incorporated at the time the Cabinet Secretary made representations before Members of Parliament regarding the structure and governance of the fund.
“This court affidavit revealed a whole contradictory reality. The entity is not a Fund within the meaning of Article 206 at all, but a limited liability company that had not even been incorporated when these assurances were being given to MPs,” he added.
Government officials have previously argued that the fund would help mobilise private capital for strategic projects while easing pressure on the national budget.
However, the opposition insists that the structure and governance framework of the fund must be clearly defined to prevent potential misuse of public resources.
They argued that Parliament must exercise its oversight role to ensure that such a large financial vehicle operates within the framework of the Constitution and remains subject to proper legislative scrutiny.
Kalonzo maintained that the matter goes beyond a simple administrative or technical misunderstanding, describing the alleged contradiction as a serious constitutional concern.
“As a CS who assures Parliament of a Ksh5 trillion vehicle’s constitutional status, swears under oath, then misleads them, he has not made a technical error. He has misled the legislature on a matter of the highest fiscal and constitutional consequence,” he affirmed.
He further urged lawmakers to urgently summon the Treasury Cabinet Secretary to provide a clear explanation to both Parliament and the public regarding the structure and status of the proposed fund.
“The National Assembly must summon CS Mbadi to reconcile his parliamentary presentation with his court testimony,” Kalonzo said.
So far, the National Treasury has not issued an official response to the opposition’s latest claims, but the matter is expected to generate heated debate within Parliament as lawmakers examine the legal and constitutional implications of the proposed fund.
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United Opposition Demands CS John Mbadi Summoned Over National Infrastructure Fund Claims
