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"id": 276510,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/276510/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Mbau",
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"speaker": {
"id": 182,
"legal_name": "Elias Peter Mbau",
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"content": "Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir, for giving me this chance to make my comments on the Supplementary Estimates this afternoon. From the outset I would like to state that, as Members of Parliament with the mandate of ensuring that the Executive is kept on its toes in so far as disbursement, appropriations and allocations of public resources are concerned, I wish to note that we do not make our comments and counter arguments only because we have to make those comments but we do so because we have a duty to Kenyans. I believe when that duty is expedited even the Executive, which for the time being also represents constituencies is assisted. Mr. Speaker, Sir, it is now without doubt that the economy of this country has not grown to the level that it was anticipated when the last financial year’s Budget was tabled. This indicates that in spite of numerous warnings by this House through the Budget Committee of the level of growth of the economy, the Government still continues to over-estimate the growth which results in an ambitious and, therefore, unfounded basis for budgeting of this economy. Time and again this House has expressed concern that these over ambitious forecasts for economic growth translate to missed revenue targets which are now clearly manifest and consequently gives a Budget that is not fully financed. This means that we, as a country, have constantly have had to reorganize our finances and re-prioritize expenditures all because undue short-sighted measures and decisions have been made on the part of the other arm of the Government. It is important to note that the constant shifting of the Budget items, as is now apparent in the supplementary budget, provides opportunities for lethargy and abuse of the Budget as well as resulting in donor fatigue due to shifting of priorities. This makes policies and targets unpredictable as well as undermining the confidence of investors, both local and external. Mr. Speaker, Sir, in the current financial Supplementary Estimates, if you cast your eyes on the measures that we had spelled regarding adherence to austerity measures, you will note that a few Ministries have adhered to what Parliament expressed. Directives were given regarding the curtailing of allocations to non-priority items such as communication, domestic and foreign travel, printing, hospitality, office and general supplies, furniture as well as purchase of vehicles. There are instances where spending agencies are still seeking additional funding for these items, and this is a year when we need to curtail our spending especially in areas which are exerting pressure on the economy leading to unnecessary inflationary pressure. Mr. Speaker, Sir, there have also been major important allocations proposed in the supplementary budget hereby presented including Kshs6.1 billion to cater for the teachers’ salaries and allowances, Kshs1.9 billion for the purchase of fertilizer as well as Kshs1.723 billion for purchase of fertilizer subsidy. It is, however, of concern that these supplementary budget proposals significantly reduce expenditure on voter education, irrigation, provision of water as well as livestock development. This is like robbing Peter to pay Paul, and we have often pointed out that this ought to stop. Hon. Members may recall that we collectively last year fought a good fight together during the review of the 2011 Budget Policy Statement through the allocations that the Committee of Supply made to Livestock Development. Let me inform the House"
}