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{
    "id": 1283443,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1283443/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 158,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kikuyu, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Kimani Ichung’wah",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "THAT, the Senate amendments to the Public Finance Management (Amendment) Bill (National Assembly Bill No. 16 of 2023) be now rejected. The amendments proposed concerning the debt anchor in the Public Finance Management (Amendment) Bill (National Assembly Bill No.16 of 2023) as proposed by the Senate would be very detrimental, especially to our work as the National Assembly in line with the provisions of Articles 95 and 221 of the Constitution. The proposal to receive reports and pass resolutions on matters related to national Government borrowing will impact the fiscal operations and financial management of the national Government, especially when the resolutions relate to borrowing and affect substantial amounts of the national Government budget and operations. This will further curtail the function, as I said, of the National Assembly in the consideration of the national Government budgets when they are submitted every year by 30th of April. This is solely under the purview of the National Assembly pursuant to Articles 95 and 221 of the Constitution. These provisions are usually time-bound. The Budget Estimates and estimates on borrowing must be tabled before the National Assembly by 30th of April each year. Therefore, if we are to go with the proposed amendments of the Senate, we will significantly interfere with the timelines of the budget-making process. That is partly the reason why the Committee decided to oppose the amendments as proposed by the Senate. Further, the Committee also noted that these proposals introduce a new layer of bureaucracy in the approval of borrowing, which could affect the smooth implementation of our national Government budgets. Furthermore, consideration of the Report by both Houses could lead to conflicting resolutions on the national Government borrowing without any available mechanism of resolving such disagreements. It is, indeed, true that if there is a disagreement between this House and the Senate on issues that touch on borrowing, it will, in a big way, affect the budget-making process which is strictly under the purview of the National Assembly. The drafters of our 2010 Constitution were clear when they gave the power of the purse to the National Assembly."
}