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{
    "id": 662114,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/662114/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 145,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Henry Rotich",
    "speaker_title": "The Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13142,
        "legal_name": "Henry Rotich",
        "slug": "henry-rotich"
    },
    "content": "(iii) improve infrastructure like roads, railway, ports, energy and water to encourage growth of competitive industries; (iv) undertake various measures to drive agricultural and industrial transformation so as to ensure food security and lower food prices, increase quality and diversification of exports, accelerate inclusive growth, create jobs and reduce poverty; (v) prioritise investment in quality and accessible health care services as well as quality and relevant education; (vi) ensure adequate support for the most vulnerable in our societies; (vii) support devolution through funding and working closely with the county governments to build appropriate public financial management capacity to help them to better deliver services to w ananchi ; and, (viii) implement economic, financial and other reforms to boost our productivity and competitiveness. In a nutshell, this budget aims to consolidate the significant gains already made in those priority areas that I have just mentioned. We will do this within a sustainable fiscal framework. Working together under this plan, we shall achieve higher and sustainable growth, provide jobs to our youth, reduce poverty and inequality as a nation and position ourselves as an upper middle income country. This is the Kenya we all want. This House approved the 2016 Budget Policy Statement and the Division of Revenue Bill that was submitted to Parliament in February this year, thus paving the way for the preparation of the Budget Estimates for the Financial Year 2016/2017 that were submitted to the National Assembly on 28th April, 2016. The Estimates broadly reflect the priorities that I have just elaborated. In addition, I am now submitting the Finance Bill, 2016, which contains the taxation and financial proposals that will further help achieve our goals. We are now in the final stages of engagement with the Budget and Appropriations Committee on the review process and preparation of the ground for the Appropriation Bill. It is my expectation that the final Budget, which should be approved before the end of this month, will reinforce the basis of achieving our long term development goals and help us move steadily towards meeting the 2030 Development Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Hon. Speaker, while finalising this Statement, I asked Kenyans to give me their views on how we are faring with our taxation, social service delivery and how best to accelerate inclusive economic growth. Allow me to sample just a few of the responses from well-wishing Kenyans who want to make positive contributions to our development agenda. I have received a very clear message that everybody must pay taxes, including the informal sector. For example, Mr. Kelvin Omweri has written to me and I quote:- “An economy like ours cannot be supported by two million taxpayers in the formal economy. There are persons in the informal economy in this country who make millions that do not get taxed because they are the informal economy and professional tax evaders. Yet, we all want National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) to expand and cover the majority and better education, health care facilities and infrastructure. So, we all must participate in some way in paying taxes and those in the informal economy must also pay tax on income and not just VAT.” I fully agree with Mr. Omweri. We must widen the tax net so that everyone eligible to pay tax, including the informal sector, pays tax. In this respect, I have asked the Kenya Revenue Authority to explore ways of taxing the informal sector and to re-double their efforts in netting The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}