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{
    "id": 1051815,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1051815/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 52,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Kibiru",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13196,
        "legal_name": "Charles Reubenson Kibiru",
        "slug": "charles-reubenson-kibiru"
    },
    "content": "(1) The National Treasury should not use the base effect economic growth to project high revenue collection and the resultant increase spending. It should not be interpreted to mean the living standards of Kenyans. The seven per cent growth may not translate to benefit people‘s pockets. The National Treasury may want to relook at that. (2) The National Treasury should develop realistic ways of projecting revenues based on historical performance and using an average of the past three year‘s revenue performance. The way we are doing for the county governments, we think that they should start with the expenses and move backwards. We are telling them to be realistic; get the facts right because this country and the economy has never met its target. We always adjust downwards. It is a high time we lived within our means moving forward. (3) In order to cap potential effects of reliance on the diaspora remittances and sustain the country‘s account balances, the National Treasury in conjunction with other relevant Ministries should invest in promotion and marketing of export of agriculture products and create access to new export markets and value addition of small and medium sized farmers. This is in order to promote diversification of agricultural exports and improve current account balances. One of the issues that emerged is that everybody is happy with the diaspora remittances. In another area, we have recommended that it is high time the Ministry of Foreign Affairs makes the diaspora desk a division or a department. We have countries that treat their citizens in the diaspora seriously because of the effect of the remittances to their economies. Let them have special passes and issues like that. Let them be treated kings. Indeed, we will see remarkable improvement and sustainable remittances from the diaspora. If that is the goose that lays the golden egg, we need to handle it with kind hands because it looks like it is our cash cow. Mr. Speaker, Sir, to enable the Government enhance revenue collection, it is recommended that the multi-agency team comprising of the Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA), the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and the National Treasury should carry out capacity building to enforce the policy on own-source revenue. They should as well work with counties to harness county revenue potential. The marking of revenue potential coupled with collection efficiency would ultimately boost the collection of own source revenue. Further, the National Treasury should adhere to the Cash Disbursement Schedule approved by the Senate. Mr. Speaker, Sir, by the time we met the CRA, Kshs168 billion was outstanding to be disbursed to the counties. A number of excuses were given like the National Treasury cannot disburse funds when the accounts of county governments have balances. Sen. Mutula Kilonzo Jnr. was asked where is it written in the Constitution or law that should not happen. Of course in terms of cash management, the National Treasury The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}