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{
    "id": 274995,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/274995/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 13,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Mbau",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 182,
        "legal_name": "Elias Peter Mbau",
        "slug": "elias-mbau"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I want to thank you for your indulgence. I also want to thank the Minister for complying. Indeed, from the outset, it is good for us as a House and as the Budget Committee to say that we only push to ensure that the Executive complies with the laws and, of course, the Constitution. We would not like the Executive, through the Minister for Finance, not to comply with the notice the Speaker in his ruling last year made. This is meant to ensure that the Minister for Finance makes it possible and gives sufficient time to the Parliamentary Budget Office to do that which is constitutionally provided for; that is, allowing for parliamentary participation and contribution on behalf of Kenyans. Mr. Speaker, Sir, regarding the presentation of the Budget Policy Statement which the Minister admits could not have been tabled by 21st March because we were on recess, we sought yesterday – and we thank you for granting us our plea – that whereas the Fiscal Management Act gave the Minister that leeway, the same Act did not give any leeway to Parliament. Therefore, since the Minister was this time presenting the Budget Policy Statement out of the legal time frame, we were seeking your indulgence which you granted provisionally that you allow the Budget Committee and Parliament, at least, one week in which hon. Members and chairmen of the various Departmental Committees can engage what the Minister has presented and do due analysis and diligence. They need to consult the respective departments with a view to making recommendations to the various policies and forecasts as enunciated in the Budget Policy Statement. This is because when the Minister eventually does his final estimates, he takes into account the aspirations and recommendations of hon. Members. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I want to assure you that the Budget Committee has already began meetings as per your provisional guidelines. I want to further seek through this Communication that you also urge that the various chairpersons of all committees, within the window that the Chair may allow us of seven days, to work during the night like the Speaker agreed and also work during the weekend to ensure that by Monday we have consulted as is necessary so that by Tuesday we are able to synthesize, collate and put together whatever views and recommendations you have out of the Budget Policy Statement. That way, by the seventh day, that is, Tuesday at 2.30 p.m., the Budget Committee will be in a position to table in this House the Budget Policy Statement recommendations which we expect will be taken on board as the Minister finalises the Estimates. The Minister knows that by 30th of this month we still expect the proposals of Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure to be submitted here for the House to process so that we do not have undue confrontation. Mr. Speaker, Sir, we thank the Minister for also confirming that by the end of this month those ones will come, but the proposals will now appear to have lost the benefit of the input of Parliament through the Budget Policy Statement. I want to notify the Minister that even though he will lack the benefit of input by Parliament towards the proposals which will come by the end of this month, we shall still expect that the same will be factored in while preparing the final one."
}