HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept
{
"id": 222031,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/222031/?format=api",
"text_counter": 244,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Kenneth",
"speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister for Finance",
"speaker": {
"id": 167,
"legal_name": "Peter Kenneth",
"slug": "peter-kenneth"
},
"content": " Mr. Speaker, Sir, I beg to move that May 15, 2007 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 1315 the Supplementary Appropriation Bill (2007) as amended, be read a Second Time. Mr. Speaker, Sir, His Excellency, the President, has signified his consent to this Bill. Mr. Speaker, Sir, while moving the Motion for this Financial Year's Supplementary Estimates on 24th April, 2007, we appraised this House of the factors that formed the basis of the Revised Estimates. Briefly, these are:- (i) A slight decline in revenue. (ii) Additional financial requirements to cater for expenditures related to the Consolidated Fund Services; and, (iii) Requests for additional funds by Ministries and Departments. Mr. Speaker, Sir, another important aspect we mentioned is that, the approval of this Bill will not result in any additional borrowing. In order, therefore, to adhere to the broad fiscal framework that was tabled and approved by this House, requests by Ministries were adjusted downwards from Kshs33 billion to Kshs19.5 billion to only cater for unavoidable expenditures. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the need to maintain macro-fiscal stability was one of our major considerations in preparation of the Revised Estimates. Therefore, despite the numerous requests by Ministries and Departments for additional funding, our revised Budget proposals have been limited to the level that will enable us finance without resorting to additional borrowing. The influence of these factors have also been partly dealt with through adjustments in some votes. In this regard, we wish to thank those Ministries that exercised prudence and economy that has generated savings of amounts indicated in the Second Schedule. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the Supplementary Appropriation Bill (2007) seeks approval for a further issue from the Consolidated Fund of Kshs19.5 billion. The Bill also seeks approval for proposed reallocation and adjustments of Appropriations-in-Aid (A-i-A). The Votes for which we have requested for additional funds are listed in the First Schedule, while those that we have proposed reductions are listed in the Second Schedule. Mr. Speaker, Sir, if you allow me, I will now give short briefs for the votes that have relatively substantial allocations. Under Vote 01, Office of the President, the amounts sought for Recurrent Expenditure is to cater for operations and maintenance, salaries and allowances of staff in the Police and Provincial Administration Departments. The increase is also partly due to deficiency of A-i-A. Under Vote 05, Office of the Vice-President and Ministry of Home Affairs requires funds to set off pending bills related to utilities and for procurement of inmates' uniforms. Under Vote 07, Ministry of Finance, funds sought for the Development Vote is for equity participation in the African Development Bank (ADB). Under Vote 10, which is the Ministry of Agriculture, funds requested for this Vote are mainly for extension services and land developments. Funds have been earmarked for crop development and research. Mr. Speaker, Sir, under Vote 11, which is the Ministry of Health, additional funds are required for arrears and salaries for promoted medical workers and to pay salaries for newly appointed doctors. Under Vote 13, Ministry of Roads and Public Works, funds are required to carry on with ongoing programmes of road construction works. Under Vote 16, which is the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the funds sought for this Vote are related to a loan issued to the Uchumi Supermarkets to bail it out from near-collapse. The strategy has worked well and we expect the organisation to commence the repayments soon. Mr. Speaker, Sir, under Vote 19, Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries Development, funds are required for ongoing programmes on disease and pest control. Hon. Members are aware of the livestock disease identified as the \"Rift Valley Fever\" that threatened both life and livelihood of our people. A bulk of the funds sought for this vote will be utilized for control of this very dangerous disease. Mr. Speaker, Sir, under Vote 20, Ministry of Water and Irrigation, funds allocated for this Vote are for running water boards and purchase of water meters. Development funds will be used for rehabilitation of water supply infrastructure, including rehabilitation of pipes and other water 1316 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES May 15, 2007 systems countrywide. Under Vote 23, which is the Cabinet Office, the bulk of these funds requested for this Vote will be spent on survey, mapping and data collection for 200 nautical miles of our continental shelf. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the mapping and marking out of our continental ocean shelf is of great national interest due to its security aspect. It is, therefore, long overdue. Vote 29 - National Assembly; funds requested for this Vote are for payment of salaries and running of constituency offices. Under Vote 30 - Ministry of Energy, funds requested for this Vote are for rural electrification and to compensate the Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC)/KenGen for subsidised power to Kenyan consumers. On Vote 31 - Ministry of Education, funds allocated to this Vote are to cater for adjustment of teachers' salaries. Vote 33 - The Electoral Commission (ECK); the funds allocated to this Vote are to enable the ECK to issue voters' cards to eligible Kenyans after they have received their national identity cards. Vote 35 - Ministry of Special Programmes; we have in the recent past experienced a number of natural disasters. There is also need to raise our strategic grain reserves in order to lock up good harvest to avoid food shortages in the future. Funds passed under this Vote, therefore, are to enable us to extend emergency relief assistance to those adversely affected by these occurrences and to raise our grain reserve over the statutory requirement by one million bags. Mr. Speaker, Sir, under Vote 40 - Ministry of Immigration and Registration of Persons; funds allocated to this Vote are to cater for expenditure related to issuance of national identity cards to eligible persons. There are some Votes that I have not mentioned. I want to assure hon. Members that all allocations indicated for each Vote have been scrutinised and analyzed so that the allocations are for only those services that cannot be postponed. This Bill is, therefore, critical and once approved, it will enable the Government to continue with provision of essential services to our citizens. I, therefore, seek approval for Supplementary Appropriation Bill (2007) as amended, that will authorise withdrawal of funds from the Consolidated Fund to meet the services of the remaining period of the Financial Year, 2006/2007. The Bill also seeks approval for application of the Appropriations-in-Aid towards services and purposes outlined therein. Once again, allow me to thank hon. Members for the constructive and very helpful contributions they gave during the debate; and subsequent approval of the Motion on this Bill. We embrace the spirit of working together for development of our beloved nation. Mr. Speaker, Sir, with these very few remarks, I beg to move."
}