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{
    "id": 562723,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/562723/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 376,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Kaluma",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1565,
        "legal_name": "George Peter Opondo Kaluma",
        "slug": "george-peter-opondo-kaluma"
    },
    "content": "The literal interpretation in law, and I beg my colleagues including the Chairperson of the Budget and Appropriations Committee to listen, is that the national Government may in fact spend money that has not been appropriated without prior approval of Parliament, but only up to 10 per cent of the appropriated amount. Going beyond 10 per cent requires prior approval. Without saying that we want to deny the Government Supplementary Budget and continuation of these programmes, could there be a distinction coming from the Chairperson of the Committee in terms of what falls within the 10 per cent as having been spent so that we separate those development programmes and they continue as opposed to sanctioning an unconstitutionality? As a House, we are required to uphold and protect the Constitution. This is an obligation imposed on us and everybody. You may want to look at the expenditure sheets which my colleagues have spoken about. Let me beg the Chairman that these are very serious issues. We dealt with the Supplementary Budget the other day and shifted money meant for HIV supplements to something he called “Cancer Excellence Centre” without saying specifically what the money was to do in that centre. We thought because we were in a rush and dealing with cancer patients, we were purchasing something but without saying so. The money dedicated and committed by this House for the wellbeing of people suffering from HIV/AIDS, mainly in my constituency, was taken away to some unknown issue. I beg that we get an interpretation of this provision lest we proceed as a House by sanctioning an illegality and unconstitutionality. This is not an issue that the Chairman of the Budget and Appropriations Committee can help me interpret. I think that in law I am a better lawyer than him."
}