Molo MP Kimani Kuria disclosed that he received KSh 168,000 from Kenyans who sent small amounts to confirm his phone number.
As the National Assembly Finance Committee Chair, Kuria stated he has written to the Clerk for advice on handling the money since receiving gifts from the public violates state laws.
He acknowledged that sharing MPs' numbers infringes the Data Protection Act but appreciated the public's engagement via SMS and calls regarding the Finance Bill.
“In a very special way, although these people bridged the Data Protection Act by sharing our numbers with Kenyans, but I also thank the Kenyans who wrote to us through SMS, called us and some of them were generous enough to send us Sh1 and Sh2 and Sh10 to confirm whether our numbers were authentic,” Kuria said.
"I have written to the clerk wondering what to do with the Sh168,000 that have been sent to my M-PESA because receiving these gifts from the public is against the state laws," he added.
Kuria expressed gratitude for the public's input, noting he had attempted but failed to reverse the transactions due to the sheer volume.
"Later, I will be seeking your guidance on what to do with the money because I tried reversing the Sh1 and the Sh2 but it was impossible because it came in hundreds of thousands," he added.
Similarly, Mumias East MP Peter Salasya reported receiving KSh 40,000 from Kenyans in the same manner, who were pressuring MPs to reject the Finance Bill. Both MPs are seeking guidance on how to proceed with the unsolicited funds.
Protesters show up in Nairobi CBD with over 10 caskets as protests take shape