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{
    "id": 553335,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/553335/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 162,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Finance Management Act, 2012, which provides inter alia, that the National Assembly may amend the Budget Estimates submitted so long as an increase in expenditure in a proposed appropriation is balanced by a reduction in expenditure in another proposed appropriation, or a proposed reduction in expenditure is used to reduce the deficit. In addition, Article 221 of the Constitution of Kenya and, in particular, paragraphs 3 and 6 in part state that the National Assembly shall consider the estimates of revenue and expenditure which will have been approved. The use of the words “consider” and “approved” in the said Article of the Constitution connotes that the House, when considering the estimates, has power to amend the estimates. From the foregoing, it is my view that the Report of the Budget and Appropriations Committee is amendable provided that the amendments are informed by a decision of the relevant Departmental Committee and the requisite balancing is achieved. Hon Members, on the issue of failure by the Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Foreign Affairs to appear before the Departmental Committee on Defence and Foreign Relations, the Constitution is explicit on this matter. Article 125 read together with Article 153(3) empower Committees to summon Cabinet Secretaries (CSs) before them to answer questions concerning any matter for which the Cabinet Secretary is responsible. Indeed, Committees have unfettered powers to ask and receive information and demand appearance of the CS as contemplated by Article 125 of the Constitution, which gives the Committees the powers to summon as those of the High Court. The CSs should note that failure to appear before a Committee of the House when required to do so contravenes the provisions of the Constitution stated above and, more so, failing to appear before the relevant Committee to present the budget estimates of the Ministry is so grave that the consequences arising thereof are far-reaching."
}