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{
    "id": 1451107,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1451107/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 4491,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Samburu West, KANU",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Naisula Lesuuda",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Thank you for giving me this opportunity. I take this opportunity to congratulate the Chairman of the Budget and Appropriations Committee and the entire Committee for putting in many hours to ensure we have the Supplementary Estimates I presented in this House by the time we opened the House. This is only day two. I just want to make a few points. First, is that we, as a country, are experiencing extraordinary times. This calls for extraordinary measures. For the first time in the history of Kenya, we have a Supplementary Estimates I even before we start implementing the Budget we passed before we went for recess. Kenyans occasioned this by speaking to us as leadership—from the topmost, the President, all the way to us in the National Assembly and the Senate, counties, and even Members of County Assemblies. They told us they did not want to be overtaxed. They want value for their money as they are taxed. That is why His Excellency the President did not assent to the Finance Bill. That is why we have, as a Committee and a House, revised and rationalised the Budget to fit the shoe we are wearing as a country. We have, as a Committee, looked at austerity measures. As leaders, Kenyans have again told us that we should not talk to them about austerity measures cosmetically, by just saying that we have cuts. We are seeing memos that there will be no travel, tea or flowers. They want to see it happening. They do not want us just to say we will not travel yet they find out that we sneaked out of the country and travelled. They want to see us doing exactly that when we say there is no travel by parastatal officers, Members of Parliament and the Executive. Of course, there will be essential travels where, for example, our country has to give a country position to the Pan African Parliament (PAP) or the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). Probably, there are areas we must visit as a country. When we travel, they also want to see no excess baggage of persons adding no value. For example, participants have missed on lists when we go for sports then joyriders get the merchandise free to go there and enjoy themselves. They go out, send photos, and have a field day when they go for the World Cup and things like that. Kenyans have said they do not want to see such things. We as a House will be doing our proper oversight. We will not play any tribal card of a person coming from my county or area with any member in the Executive doing that. We would rather lose our political seats than go against what Kenyans want. Quickly to the issues in the Budget that I am happy about, I must credit the Budget and Appropriations Committee and the Government. When we were doing cuts, they did not so much touch the things that directly affect the common man. I am happy about that. For example, there was a lot of agitation, even in the letter that the National Treasury wrote to us before we went on recess, that if we reject the Finance Bill, the Government will not employ JSS teachers. I thank the Government and the Budget and Appropriations Committee (BAC) for ensuring that that does not happen and that JSS teachers will be employed. We have allocated Ksh8 billion to the Equalisation Fund. I am also happy with this Government because, for the first time, every financial year, the Fund is prioritised and money disbursed. The School Feeding Programme is also in this Budget. 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."
}