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{
    "id": 274991,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/274991/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 9,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Githae",
    "speaker_title": "The Minister for Finance",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 159,
        "legal_name": "Robinson Njeru Githae",
        "slug": "robinson-githae"
    },
    "content": " Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. First of all, I would like to apologise that in the morning we were not able to issue the Paper that you had requested for with regard to the clarification and the basis upon which the Supplementary Financial Estimates and the Budget Policy Paper were brought in. I would like to table that Paper. Also, because the matter arose on the Floor, I request that you allow me to read the Statement Paper so that hon. Members are appraised of the issue. Mr. Speaker, Sir, while tabling the Supplementary Estimates for 2011/2012, hon. Members sought to know the basis of presenting the Estimates. Hon. Members will recall that in 2011 this House passed the Appropriations Bill, 2011 which was later enacted into law. The Government has since August, 2011 been implementing the Budget on the basis of the Appropriation Act of 2011. Following the challenges and emerging priorities that arose during the implementation, the Government is now seeking changes to the Appropriation Act of 2011. Article 223 of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010 also allows for the introduction of the Supplementary Budget. This is the basis upon which the Supplementary Budget is being presented to the House. The other issue that was raised by hon. Members was in regard to the Medium Term Budget Policy Statement for the 2012/2013. The Fiscal Management Act of 2009 requires that the Budget Policy Paper be presented to Parliament by 21st March while Standing Orders of Parliament require that once the Budget Policy Statement is laid in Parliament, the Budget Committee shall consult the Departmental Committees and lay its Report in the House before 15th April. The provisions of the Fiscal Management Act and the Standing Orders were premised on the old Constitution which required that the Budget be presented to the House by 20th June. This gave the Executive ample time to reflect on the proposals of the Supplementary Budget in the Budget Policy Paper before laying it in the House and to consider the recommendations of the House in the finalization of the Estimates of expenditure for the ensuing financial year. The finalization of the Supplementary Estimates for 2011/2012 was done when Parliament had already gone on recess. Mr. Speaker, Sir, you will also recall that the Fiscal Management Act requires that if the House is in recess, the Budget Policy Statement should be submitted within the first week – and I repeat the first week upon resumption of Parliament. We presented the Budget Policy Statement on the first day of resumption of Parliament which was yesterday, 17th April, 2012, meaning that we were cognizant of the delay that would occasion this submission. That is why instead of waiting up to Thursday which would have been the last day, we did it on the first day that Parliament resumed. This is because we are aware of the strict timelines contained in the Fiscal Management Act. However, we have proposed now in the Public Finance Management Bill before this House to amend the timeline for submission to mid-February and if approved by Parliament this will address the challenges experienced this year. I urge the indulgence of hon. Members and the House and urge that the House should proceed alongside the interim ruling that you had given yesterday. I also wish to inform hon. Members that we plan to have the Finance Bill debated by the House tomorrow in the Committee Stage. I would like to give assurance that the Budget Estimates will be laid before this House within the time stipulated which is 30th April. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir, and I wish to lay the Papers on the Table of the House. The following Papers were laid on the Table:-"
}