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"content": "Minister most humbly to consider publishing the Fiscal Management Act so that we can start working jointly on its operationalisation. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Budget making process in this country is a long and tedious one. The process begins in the month of November and runs all the way to June. If you miss out at the beginning, there is very little you can do in the middle. I am glad the Executive has opened up and now we are all on board and we are looking forward to working together. I must point out that in the past the Budget making process remained the preserve of a few. It was for the Office of the Minister for Finance, the Office of the President, the office of the tax collector, Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) and the office of the Controller and Auditor-General. We agree that they have done a good job in the past. However, we are looking forward to a better job being done. I am glad that it is the newness of the Minister for Finance --- Like my colleague pointed out the Ministry of Finance was not yet Uhuru until they found Uhuru. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, at this point I know the hon. Minister could do better if he would be allowed to get his own team to run this Ministry. The so called Treasury mandarins are used to the old ways of doing things. They have done it well enough. It is time we mixed them with new thinking and new blood. I also want to say something about revenue. Revenue is the mainstay of a country. Revenue is the lifeblood of this country. The process of generating revenue in this country is in the hands of a few people. We need to separate revenue mobilization from the revenue custodian, the revenue administration, the revenue spender and the revenue reporter. Looking at all these offices, you do not see independence. In the interest of Kenya, we want to instill confidence in Kenyans that these resources are in safe hands at the minimum risk of any form of conspiracy. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I want to point out that the Budget is the single most important document in the running of a Government. At this point, I want to point out that, as a country, we really need to look at an all endearing philosophy in our Budget. We need a philosophy that would attract the entire citizenry and endear them into paying their taxes. I have seen two past budgets, including this one and I normally see themes. Over and above the theme, I want to persuade the Minister and this House to consider adopting a philosophy or motto in the Budget so that every Kenyan can identify himself with that Budget. What I have in mind is a Budget that gives dignified living to all Kenyans. Every Kenyan should know that their life depends on this Budget so that when he is called upon to pay taxes, he knows that he is doing so for his wellbeing. I want to move on to the objects of this Budget as they were articulated by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance. The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance sought to ensure a stable micro-economic environment that is suitable for business to thrive. Underlying this are several assumptions. We are left wondering, I have not been party to the whole process, how vulnerable are they? How sure are we that our resources will take us through to the end of the financial year successfully? I have in mind, the growth rate as reflected in the Budget. We are moving from a growth rate of 7.10 per cent in the year 2007 which dropped drastically to 1.7 per cent last year. There is a projection that the economic recovery will move on to a 6.4 per cent growth rate in the year 2013. There are a lot of challenges therein between. I am glad that the theme of the Budget is: âOvercoming Todayâs Challenges for a better Kenya Tomorrowâ. In order to overcome these challenges, we need to look at them"
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