State owes ODM Sh1bn political parties cash

The State owes the Orange Democratic Party (ODM) Sh1.2 billion in Political Parties Fund arrears, an audit has revealed.

The money has accumulated on failure of the Registrar of Political Parties to apply the right allocation formula over the years.

The Political Parties Act requires that 0.3 per cent of the national revenue be set aside for qualifying political parties to share so as to entrench democracy.

Parliament, however, allocated political parties Sh371.2 million in 2017/2018 financial year.

ODM, led by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga had budgeted for Sh1.41 billion revenue but realised Sh160.95 million resulting in a shortfall of Sh1.24 billion or 89 per cent shortfall.

“The under expenditure of Sh1,256,338,971 was attributed to failure to receive the budgeted government grants,” the audit report presented in Parliament says.

Similarly the State did not release Sh4.7 million due to the Wiper party in the period.