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{
    "id": 1460770,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1460770/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 322,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Suba South, ODM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Caroli Omondi",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I will try to be brief so that my colleagues can also have a bite of the cherry. It is time we re-looked at our budget making process. For the last 24 months, the courts have consistently told us that we got it wrong. As a country and a Parliament, it is time to re-look at this. We must figure out how we can re-work the legislative framework for budget-making in this country, so that we do not suffer the continuous embarrassment of having our finance bills declared unconstitutional, twice successively. It is quite an indictment on Parliament as well as other arms of government. I agree with the concept that both benefits and burdens should be shared proportionately. However, when I look at what has been presented here, several issues trouble my mind. One, I see that we are still using the projections contained in the Finance Act of 2024/2025, and as we all know, it is dead and buried. We are still basing the 15 per cent projection on that. That worries me. If you look at the way all these things are designed, you realise that counties are operating on the last audited accounts of revenues received and approved by this House, and that are 24 months behind. I think they are for the Financial Year 2021/2022 and yet, the national Government is operating on current actuals. That, in itself, does not create equity and proportionality in the sharing of revenue. Looking at the proposals on how revenues will be shared and money distributed, I am just wondering how a county government can plan. We were a bit quick to dismiss what Hon. Oundo was saying but, if you think about it, 15 per cent is on the most recent. For some reason, the Constitution did not say last audited, but most recent. Most recent could be even five years. It simply means the last audited and approved accounts by Parliament. It could be any audited accounts. For instance, if five years ago, you raised Ksh1.7 trillion and last year you raised Ksh2.3 trillion like we did last year, and so, if you base 15 per cent on five years ago, then you can clearly see the injustice that is being done to the counties. I am wondering whether it would be so difficult for the economists and the finance experts in this House to advise us on how to share both the 15 per cent, which we have no option about because that percentage vests as a constitutional provision. So, if it is calculated, we have no power to reduce it. We have to avail it to the county governments. Hon. Oundo was trying to say that there is a portion which is based on projections like what we have now. For that, there should be some equitable share if there is a shortfall. But if the monies are never released to the counties on time and in the amounts that are envisaged, how can they plan for their development? There is a very fundamental question here that we need to discuss. We need to know whether or not it is time to review both the provisions of Article 203 of the Constitution, as well as the framework that we have for budget-making as 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."
}