Treasury owes ODM Sh7.6 bi*lion party funding
The Exchequer owes the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Sh7.63 billion through the Political Parties Fund which has accrued for the last eight years.
Auditor General Nancy Gathungu says in her 2019/20 audited financial statement presented to the National Assembly yesterday, that the money includes Sh4.1 billion that the High Court awarded the party in 2016.
The Orange party had to launch a court battle to win the award which has since been paid in parts.
The party headed by former premier leader Raila Odinga had sued the National Treasury for failing to comply with the requirements of the Political Parties Act in allocating the parties’ fund.
The National Treasury has been reluctant to comply with the Political Parties Act provision that requires that least 0.3 per cent of the revenue collected at the national level as audited and approved by the National Assembly be allocated to the political parties’ fund annually.
The party was in the last financial year allocated Sh263.7 million which resulted to a protracted battle with its Nasa partners demanding a share of the same.
Gathungu says the shortfall in expected revenue saw the party spend Sh367.46 million against the approved budget of Sh1.5 billion.
“The revenue shortfall was largely attributed to non-receipt of expected government funding estimated at Sh1.24 billion apportioned with reference to total number of votes secured in the preceding general election,” says Gathungu.
