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{
    "id": 1431420,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1431420/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 3776,
    "type": "other",
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    "content": "the US Dollar is about Ksh130. The interest rates also, globally and locally, are beginning to respond to the macro-improvement in the macro parameters. In that respect, interest rates form the huge bulk of CFS. It is, therefore, important that we align the current realities of the payment of interest rates in regard to the current dynamics. This is an appreciation in the Kenya shillings and other favourable dynamics in the money market, and especially in terms of the exchange rate. It is important that we make the Second Supplementary Estimates, so that our payment of interest rates could take care of the gain in terms of our local currency and the other dynamics around the interest rates. Having said that, there are also some other sectors that we have deemed important for enhancement even as we come to the close of the financial year. One of these areas is education. In the Second Supplementary Estimates, Higher Education will gain Ksh4 billion. This is majorly Appropriations-in-Aid (A-in-A) because our universities have collected much more than was projected at the beginning of the financial year. This is something we may need a discussion on. Every time we are in a budget cycle like now, there are a lot of incentives for the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to budget for A-in-A that is much less than what they usually collect. This is an area we may also need to talk about. We have put it in our recommendations, especially for the main budget. Hon. Deputy Speaker, another area that has an increment is the security sector. This is based on the realities of our country. We have added more money to the National Police Service (NPS) and to all the other security agencies. It is important that we capacitate them even as we close the year, and especially to take care of money that has already been spent under Article 223 of the Constitution. The other thing that is important for Members to note in the Second Supplementary Estimates is that we have added Ksh4 billion for fertiliser subsidy. Agriculture is the backbone of our country. However much we make policies to move towards having agriculture to account for much less in terms of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the reality is that we are still there. The reality is that Kenya is more agrarian than industrial. In that respect, we have seen a lot of results in the fertiliser subsidy programme that we have been running in the previous months. Even as we move through seasons, it is important to have enough fertiliser for farmers. We capacitate them to produce more, and also make agriculture a favourable and profitable business, especially by subsidising inputs. There are some arrears that were left out in the last budget cycle insofar as paying sugarcane farmers is concerned, and especially those who had supplied sugarcane in public sugar factories. We have also input that balance in this Supplementary Budget, so that the sugar farmers of this country can get their dues, especially the arrears that are due to them. Hon. Deputy Speaker, I will highlight the last two points, so that other Members can also get a chance to contribute. When it rains in Kenya, we get blessings in many respects. However, in the recent rains, we had to expend public resources to mitigate the damage caused by the El-Nino. I want to assure Hon. Members that we have also incorporated the expenditure—both under Article 223 of the Constitution and requirements for the remaining part of the financial year—in these Supplementary Estimates, so that we can support the victims of the floods. In that, I want to make it very clear that the Select Committee on Budget and Appropriations and this House had some proposals. This is because the livelihoods of the victims who were affected by these calamities were destroyed. I got a chance and I went to Naivasha, Mathioya and Murang’a, where we had massive landslides and floods. I have also been to Tana River and I saw the kind of havoc the victims of the floods and excessive rains are going through. Our proposal in terms of allocation is that besides the Government giving food ratios to the affected, it must move forward and resettle these people to more favourable land. 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."
}