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"id": 37103,
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"speaker_name": "Mr. Mbau",
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"legal_name": "Elias Peter Mbau",
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"content": "Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, on energy, the public is concerned over the access and cost of energy. The cost of energy is high on account of transmission and fuel, therefore, it is important that more funds be allocated to rural electrification to improve on access in order for more rural areas to be covered. More funds should also be allocated to geothermal development in order to bring down the cost of energy through provision of alternative sources. You are aware that even as we speak today, we have an announcement by the Kenya Power that this country will experience rationing of power beginning today. This only exacerbates the concerns of the general public and Kenyans as a whole. On issues of security and defence, the Committee noted that security is one of the most important determinants of investor confidence. It was the view of the public that the allocation of funds to boost security operations is not enough. They expressed the need to increase the Budget for the provincial administration and internal security sector, and ensure the equipping of the police to combat rising crime levels. Further, we, as a Government, need to ensure police officers should be sufficiently remunerated and provided with suitable housing in order to boost their morale. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, hon. Members do recall that this House resolved that institutions involved in the implementation of the Constitution be adequately funded. In particular, the House resolved the levels of expenditure that should be provided for the Judicial Service Commission, the Kenya National Assembly, and the Electoral Commission. However, a review of the Budget proposal submitted to this House by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance indicates that the provisions for Vote D29 for the National Assembly is lower than the recommended level by Kshs800 million. The Committee recommends that this House approves Vote D29 which was laid in this House by the Vice-Chairman of the Parliamentary Service Commission as it is the one that was abiding to the resolution of this House on the Budget Policy Statement. As much as Kenyans overwhelmingly voted in the affirmative action on the new Constitution, many are still unaware of the fulfillment of the full implications of this dispensation. The Committee was informed that inadequate provisions were made for civic education. After a careful review of the Estimates of the Ministry of Finance Recurrent Estimates, we were able to establish that Kshs2 billion had been provided for the activities related to the implementation of the Constitution and, therefore, recommend that some of these funds be re-allocated to the Ministry of Justice, National Cohesion, and Constitutional Affairs which is at the centre of facilitating the various activities and institutions required for the implementation of the Constitution. Hon. Members will also recall that the Minister, during his 2010 Budget Speech, outlined some austerity measures on various items of expenditure which were aimed at reducing the overall non-essential expenditures in the Government. A review of the 2011 Budget proposals indicates that these measures seem to have been reversed and the Government is back to business as usual. The hard times that we find ourselves in require or call for hard decisions. The general public is already tightening its belt because of the hard economic times that we find ourselves in. The Committee, therefore, recommends that the Budget proposals for these items that were over-provided or are non-essential be reversed back to the original policy and level as was in the 2010/2011 Budget. This is because even that time, the Government and its departments was still able to undertake its mandate to the full. We are only calling upon the Government, as a Committee, to ensure the levels in terms of revenue expenditure are upheld in the 2010/2011 Budget. The Constitution has completed the transition of Parliament from a budget- approving legislature to a budget-making legislature and has brought openness and accountability in the Budget process. The Committee is concerned that some Budget documents, for instance, the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for State corporations for 2011/2012 exhibited perceived mathematical errors. In addition, the Revenue Estimates Book does not show the line for withholding tax which is a critical component of the income tax. It is imperative that any budget document must be understandable, simple, clear and may need to be printed or presented in Kiswahili or have a Kiswahili version in future as was recommended or required by the public. In addition, the Committee is concerned at the slow pace of the Government in moving to programme-based budgeting which is a basic tool which supports the Medium- Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF). The Committee recommends that the Government moves with speed from input-based budget to output-based programme budgeting framework. Further, the Development Budget needs to have an attachment that gives specific projects the envisaged total costs as well as the expected time of completion. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, in view of what the Committee was able to receive from the public in compliance with Section 221(5) of the Constitution, the Committee makes the following recommendations:- 1. In future any revenue target revision must be agreed upon with Parliament. 2. As the Finance Bill, 2011, is being reviewed by the relevant Committee of the House, the Minister shall be required to disclose the gains and losses from each of the proposed remedial measures. 3. In the process of reviewing the Finance Bill, 2011, the issue of zero-rating of all products be adequately considered so as to ensure that those items that are not a priority to common mwananchi are removed from the designated list of zero-rated items. 4. The Value Added Tax Bill be brought to Parliament for passing and implementation not later than October, 2011. 5. The Minister considers modernizing Electronic Tax Registers machines to make them General Packet Radio Service (GPRS). 6. Convinced of the imperative need to address the pathetic condition of most former Members of Parliament, the Committee agrees and, therefore, recommends that the Akiwumi Report which was adopted by the Parliamentary Service Commission be operationalized so that former Members of Parliament are able to continue earning a monthly pension not less than the Commonwealth minimum recommended of an equivalent of US$1,000 per month. The Committee further recommends that the Parliamentary Service Commission introduces a Bill to amend the Parliamentary Service Pension Act to provide that those Members of Parliament who served for one-term qualify for some pension. I must, hereby, notify hon. Members and the public for general information that the Budget Committee, contrary to media reports, has not necessarily alluded to the Akiwumi Report as far as their salaries are concerned. What the Committee is saying is that the Akiwumi Report that recommended minimum monthly pension which was adopted by this House on 30th June, 2010 be operationalized. 7. As resolved by the House, the Budget for the Ministry of State for Defence be separated to reflect allocations to each of the three arms of the Defence Forces and General Administration. 8. To enable Kenyans with albinism live a decent life, Kshs100 million be allocated for purchase of sunscreen to be availed to them free of charge. In addition, Kshs150 million be allocated for the purchase of three cancer scanning machines to be distributed to Coast General Hospital, Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) and Nyanza Provincial General Hospital. These projects should be operationalized by the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (KEMSA)."
}