Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 1443953,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1443953/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 64,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Mungatana, MGH",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) was projecting Kshs3.4 trillion from ordinary revenues. So, they were told to go and cut the budget. They came back with Kshs3.9 trillion. Still, half a billion or Kshs0.5 trillion was still in deficit and, therefore, the Finance Bill that became controversial was brought to try and bolster those revenues. Looking at the proposed tax cuts and the proposed reduction in Government expenditure, it seems that the National Treasury needs many changes. There needs to be a new thinking in the National Treasury. The people who are working there look at this budget as something they do every day and it is a normal thing. They do not care about the issues of the people. I know the public anger went to our colleagues in the National Assembly, but then, how long do they interact with those figures? The real issue is with National Treasury. They take a whole year preparing those figures and this year, they still came up with figures. While the demonstrations were on, the Business Daily said there was Kshs803 million that had been set aside for new cars for the President, the Deputy President and the Prime Cabinet Secretary. It was the National Treasury that was doing that. These people see it as normal that when a Cabinet is appointed, we should bring new seats, new cars and new furniture. It is a normal thing for them. They have a kind of thinking that is not critical. They will tell you that a renovation of a building costs twice the amount that it was bought for. There is a problem in that the National Treasury. They have convinced the people of Kenya that it is not their problem; it is the problem of the National Assembly that is supposed to pass those figures, yet they interact with those figures for a very short while. There is a problem in that the National Treasury and if this revolution or these demonstrations or these questions that are being asked are not focused on changes in that National Treasury, the youth will not have had their answers. Some people have stayed at the National Treasury all their lives from the time they were employed, they got promotions, they have never moved until they are now very senior people. The way they made their budgets in the 1980s is the way they want to do it in 2024. They will still buy a lot of food for entertainment and flowers, while outside here they will be ignoring the issues that go to the core of the people. So, Mr. Speaker, Sir, I believe that there is a need to look at that the National Treasury, and if the President is going to listen to what the Senate is saying, one of the things he should pick is that we need to bring fresh thinking into that National Treasury. We need to sack people in the National Treasury, particularly the senior people. We need to bring people in their 30s, in their 40s, who have probably served in the private sector; people who are coming out to think differently, people who will process these figures that are brought to Members of Parliament on time; people who will be given that authority to do what needs to be done to this country. Mr. Speaker, Sir, we have the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) that thinks the same way it was thinking years ago. They have the same staff who were there years ago. Young people are not getting opportunities in those areas. Just like the National Treasury, young people are not there. If you go there, all the senior people are people who have climbed the ladder over the years. There is no fresh thinking and there are no new ideas. I can guarantee you that next year they will be buying new cars again, there will be a The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
}