Senators have decried low funding that has made it difficult to execute their oversight role.
They said they need resources to ensure prudent use of revenue allocated to the counties. Senate Speaker Amason Kingi said that for years, the House had been underfunded, adversely affecting the role of members.
He was, however, quick to warn that they were not calling for an increase in their allowances. There have been calls from some quarters that legislators' perks should be reviewed.
This emerged during the 13th Senate Induction retreat at Sawela Lodge in Naivasha where the senators converged for five days.
The concerns emerged months after the Salary and Remuneration Commission (SRC) scrapped the allowances for parliamentarians.
Addressing the press yesterday, Kingi said in some cases, senators were seeking support from governors to visit projects, a move he said was wrong. "We are not calling for an increase in our allowances. As it were, senators have guns but no ammunition thus affecting their oversight role," he said. He, at the same time, said he and his counterpart in the National Assembly Moses Wetangula, were keen to resolve the differences and bad blood between the two Houses.
Kingi said he had an engagement with Wetangula where it was agreed that the two Houses would consult and work together.
"When members differ, it's the common mwananchi who suffers as Bills and relevant laws are not implemented," he said.
On the impasse in the National Assembly over the leader of majority slot, Kingi said Wetangula would handle the mater.
"I don't want to pre-empt this since my colleagues in the National Assembly are handling it but as a member of PAA party, we are fully in Kenya Kwanza," he said.
Deputy Speaker Kathuri Murungi said he was keen to strengthen the leadership of the Senate by engaging experts.
"We are keen to make sure we perform our role in oversight and making sure the revenue allocation to counties is increased," he said.
Others who spoke were Nakuru Senator Tabitha Karanja who said they were keen to use the induction workshop to enlighten themselves on the duty ahead. "The country is undergoing through a lot of challenges and the Senate can come in handy in addressing this through right policies," she said. At the same time, Mandera Senator Ali Roba disowned the agreement his UDM party signed with Azimio la Umoja.
The UDM party leader said they were in dark over the content of the agreement. He said they had written to the Registrar of Political parties over the issue.
"No one is aware of the content of this agreement. You cannot enforce anything in a document whose contents you don't know," he said.
