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{
    "id": 1051458,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1051458/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 21,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kieni, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Kanini Kega",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1813,
        "legal_name": "James Mathenge Kanini Kega",
        "slug": "james-mathenge-kanini-kega"
    },
    "content": "Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Section 25 (7) of the Public Finance Management Act further provides that Parliament shall, not more than 14 days after the Budget Policy Statement is submitted to Parliament, table and discuss a report containing its recommendations and pass a resolution to adopt it with or without amendments. It is the experience of this House that the timeline for consideration of this document is too short. The amendment of the PFM Act to extend this period from the current 14 days to 28 days has always been a recommendation of the House in the BPS report. This is an issue that we have been having because the 14 days are not enough. I will be requesting the Leader of the Majority party that, as soon as possible, when we will be having the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act, if we can fast-track that and change the 14 days to 28 days, it will actually suffice. The importance of the BPS cannot be overstated as it is the basis of preparation of the annual Budget. It is also a policy guiding document to the vertical sharing of revenue between the national Government and the county governments. It, therefore, requires ample time to enable thorough scrutiny by the departmental committees and the Budget and Appropriations Committee. The Supplementary Budget I for the 2020/2021 Financial Year was also submitted on 9th February 2021. Even though its approval by the National Assembly does not have tight timelines, it is prudent to consider it together since it sets the baseline for the budget ceiling in the BPS. In addition, there is need for an extension of the timelines as the Budget and Appropriations Committee was reconstituted on 15th February 2021 in line with the provisions of Standing Order No. 207 (4). It is, therefore, on this basis that the Procedural Motion is before the House this evening to extend the period of consideration by 14 days from 25th February 2021 to 11th March 2021. However, I am hoping that if everything goes as per the schedule, we should discuss or table the Report by 4th March 2021. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, as you are aware, the Budget and Appropriations Committee together with the Liaison Committee carried out a Pre-Budget Conference in Mombasa, last weekend, with key stakeholders to look into the key policy issues underpinning the 2021 BPS and the Medium-Term Debt Strategy Paper. There was also consensus on how the departmental committees and the Budget and Appropriations Committee will concurrently process The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}