Entry Instance

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

{
    "id": 1451039,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1451039/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 4423,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "all levels of Government. I hope Members are keen on what I am saying. The cuts have been spread across the two levels of government. Even the county governments are losing Ksh20 billions of their equitable share out of the realities that we face at the moment. The cuts have also been effected across all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the national Government. I assure the Kenyan people that we have cut all the flesh. What remains now is only the bone. Maybe in some areas, even the bones have also been cut. I say so because we have made sure that there is no money left for us who are servants of the people elected and appointed. For those who work for the Government, there is no money for travel; there is no money for hospitality; and there is no money for ostentatious spending. That is what the Kenyan people told us to do. We have also cut money across all the three arms of government. The Executive is losing, the Judiciary is losing, and Parliament is losing. I want to laud the Members of this House because we have come together and agreed that these are difficult times. For that reason, Parliament itself voluntarily, without fighting back, is being cut Ksh3.7 billion. This is edged on many things. For example, we conducted meetings of the Budget and Appropriations Committee within Parliament Buildings. This is a good thing for us to continue doing so that we continue to cut the ‘excess weight’ out of our Budget and live with the bare minimum and channel the saved resources to the growth of the country, especially our economy. This is the first time since I joined Parliament that the allocation of the NG-CDF is being cut and Members are clapping. Ordinarily, if any Chairman of the Budget and Appropriations Committee stood here and talked about reducing the allocation of the NG-CDF, the Motion would have to be adjourn. However, these are unprecedented times. Even the NG-CDF is giving up the increment that had been scheduled so that we, first, face the critical areas as Kenyans have directed. We have moved Ksh14.5 billion, which was to go to last-mile electricity connectivity. I also thank the Kenyan people, especially Members of this House, because in unison, they have agreed that the programme can be put in abeyance to be done at a later date, giving way to have that Ksh14.5 billion. Much more has been lost because we needed to make a budget that has a semblance of money going specifically to critical areas, as Kenyans have directed. There is something I have also noted throughout the days we have been meeting and re-looking at the Budget. This country is rich. I believe this country has the potential to raise much more money. Kenya is largely a country where most of the activities happen informally. The informal side of our economy is much larger than the formal one. Kenya has a working population of 20 million but only three million have payslips. One million are in Government and two million are in the private sector. Those are the statistics that we must look at as Kenyans. Out of a working population of 20 million, only three million are in formal employment. The problem for KRA starts there. When you have visibility of only three million Kenyans, then that is where you direct your revenue raising measures. What the majority of the economies do when most of the economy is in the informal sector is coming up with other ways of raising revenue. That is in terms of fees and levies. If you cannot target people using mainstream means, then you have to raise money from non-ordinary revenue. Ordinary revenue would be paid through PAYE and Income Tax. We have seen that there is much more opportunity to raise money through non-ordinary revenue. Out of the sittings we have had with Members of the Budget and Appropriations Committee, we have seen that Kenya can raise much more. I am glad that you are also part of that Committee. In terms of A-in-A, for example, take the Tourism Fund and the Tourism Promotion Fund. Currently, tourism is surging in Kenya. The tourism numbers are going up but we have made laws in such a manner that the money collected by these Funds can only be used in a certain 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."
}