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{
    "id": 437050,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/437050/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 284,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Orengo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 129,
        "legal_name": "Aggrey James Orengo",
        "slug": "james-orengo"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I want to say from the outset that I do not support this Bill. The reason I am saying I am not supporting the Bill is that even the Chair of the Committee on Finance, Commerce and Budget does not support Bill in the current form and shape it is in. If anybody is in doubt that there is something amiss with the Bill, do not ask the Senator for Siaya County, but the Chair of the Committee. If you doubt me further, look at the Order Paper, the parts of the Bill that he intends to amend, is to deal with the schedule. The proposal is that the whole of the third column of the schedule should be amended. The fact that it has to be amended has to do with percentages. It means that the Chairperson of the Finance, Commerce and Budget Committee is also not very sure or clear about the issue of percentages, but I will come to that later. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Budget-making process begins in the House formally when a Budget Statement is given. In accordance with the Public Finance Management Act, Treasury is required for the purposes of this House to prepare an Annual Budget Policy Statement, so that the House does not make decisions based on figures in the air. Under Section 26, he must prepare a Budget for review and outlook paper. It is my firm belief that in preparing these instruments for the purposes of discussing the Budget, the House upon approval of the Budget can go to the next stage where Parliament performs one of its most important functions. This is based on the principle of no taxation without representation. Once the Government has put out its budget plans, we go to the second stage and make a decision whether the taxation measures are justified on the basis of the instruments that are laid before the House in accordance with Sections 25 and 26 of the Public Finance Management Act and in accordance with the Constitution. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would rather we use the language of the law and the language of the Constitution because when you begin to hear the word “negotiate” it smirks of a process in which you were not dealing with facts and parameters which are set in the Constitution. The Constitution requires you to resolve the question of the annual division of revenue based on parameters set out in the Constitution. So, when you hear the word “negotiate” I dare say that this is not the right procedure that should be used when we are discussing the Division of Revenue Bill. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}