At least 70 Members of Parliament who had been locked out of their offices at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) are now back in their bases after the rent arrears were cleared by the Parliamentary Service Commission.

The management of KICC had locked them out on Monday morning due to unpaid rent arrears of Sh50.7 million causing an embarrassment to the legislators and their members of staff who were forced to go back home after failing to access their work stations.

Reliable reports from the management of the KICC confirmed that the debt had been cleared and the legislators allowed back to their offices which they have been occupying with majority of their colleagues having moved to the Bunge Towers in May last year.

But The Standard has now learnt  from the Parliamentary Service Commission that the legislators will be moved from the iconic building to offices within the parliament square by July this year in order to cut on costs incurred in paying out rent for the legislators.

Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) explained that it has a long-standing contract with the Kenyatta International Convention Centre to provide accommodation and parking for lawmakers, stating it has always strived to meets its obligation although there have been delays.

The KICC management was informed in the letter that PSC had already settled previous payments of Sh134 million this financial year broken down to Sh73 million for the 2023/2024 period and Sh 61 million for the current financial year up to December 2024.

“We request that you allow the members of Parliament to continue accessing the facilities at KICC, including parking at COMESA grounds without interference as the Parliamentary Service Commission works towards settling all the rent arrears owed to you,” said the PSC letter.

Interestingly the 28 floor Bunge Tower complex which cost  the tax payer Sh9.6 billion currently houses 331 Members of Parliament out of the total 416 drawn the National Assembly and the Senate with the 85 who do not have offices there being accommodated elsewhere.

Some 280 MPs, out of the total 349, were to get offices at the building, while  63 planned to be hosted at the Continental building owned by Parliament. 

There are 51 of the 67 elected and nominated Senators who have offices within Bunge Towers with all the legislators housed in the building occupying between the 6th floor and 22nd floor while there are 26 committee rooms situated in the first, second, third and fifth floor building.

The 24th floor of the building has an up-to-date health club that includes cardio sections, massage rooms, steam bath and sauna, reflexology, manicure and pedicure facilities with a section of the 25th floor of the building having the aerobics gym.

There is a tunnel that connects the main parliament buildings with the Bunge Towers in the section of Nairobi’s Harambee Avenue that stretches from Parliament Road and Uhuru Highway that was constructed at the cost of Sh 150 million.

“It is very embarrassing that as Members of Parliament we have our offices at the KICC building locked out for the first time due to rent arrears, the Parliamentary Service Commission should engage the management to resolve this matter,” said an MP who sought anonymity.

Before legislators occupied the Bunge Towers those who could not get offices allocated by parliament were given allowances to rent offices within Nairobi City bearing in mind they also have other offices in their respective constituencies.

Some MPs who are in leadership positions in parliament have up to four offices whose staffing and operation expenses are met by PSC while first term lawmakers sometimes have to make do with corridor like spaces which serve as their offices.