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{
    "id": 1439443,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1439443/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 753,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Funyula, ODM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. As I stand here to support the report again, allow me to make two or three comments from the word go. Supplementary budgets, in whichever way, are a case of poor planning, lack of oversight, and imprudent management of public resources. A supplementary budget should only happen in very exceptional circumstances. Looking through the report presented here, there has not been any exceptional circumstances that might have warranted this Supplementary Bill other than the change in the exchange rate between the dollar and the Kenyan Shilling. That is, probably, the only valid matter. In any case, any serious economists ought to have foreseen that this scenario was likely to obtain and take relevant mitigation measures in preparing the budget or the appropriation estimates for this line of expenditure. Committee on Fiscal Studies (CFS) is shrouded in mystery, so to speak. We do not appropriate here and, therefore, we have no tools to oversee and monetise expenditure. That is why I totally agree with the Committee that we must move with speed to put in place legislative measures or mechanisms that allow objective, qualitative, and comprehensive oversight of the fund. It is, indeed, baffling that our loan repayment keeps on ballooning each financial year yet the so-called Kenya Kwanza Government came into power on the understanding that they will reduce borrowing. Indeed, estimates that have been bandied around and figures published by the CBK indicates the opposite. That is why we will continuously remain in the big hole and we will not get out of it. The second issue that we need to be careful about, and I challenge the Committee on Public Debt and Privatisation that handles CFS to basically have a thorough audit of this account. It is on record that the Controller of Budget reported (it was widely reported) that whatever is indicated to be her remuneration in the estimates or in the accounts was far much higher than what was actually being paid. So that begs the question: how transparent is the management of this particular account? For the last three days, the former President has lambasted, complained, and cried that he has not been paid pension and facilitated to operate his office. The question we ask is: where does the money that is supposed to be in the Consolidated Fund Services go to?"
}