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{
    "id": 668505,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/668505/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 94,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Mulu",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1955,
        "legal_name": "Benson Makali Mulu",
        "slug": "benson-makali-mulu"
    },
    "content": "Having looked at the budget-making process since it started, I have three things I would like to mention for purposes of record and also for reminding ourselves that these are key stages in budget-making. Looking at the whole issue of public participation in the budget-making, it is very clear that the Budget and Appropriations Committee went out to consult Kenyans on this Budget. The input from Kenyans was well-documented. At the same time, it was very clear that participation by the Executive was not very well-documented in terms of what the input was and what recommendations they made. As we move forward, it would be important that during the next financial year, public participation, which is held before the National Treasury submits the Budget to Parliament, is properly documented so that we know what the public is saying in terms of priorities. That is what the Constitution demands. The other important aspect is the issue of implementation of the Budget. I have said many times that making a budget is totally different from implementing the Budget. While the Budget is a statement of intent, implementation is the most critical part. Unless we implement the Budget, we will not achieve everything we intend to at the end of the year. We will also not be able to achieve the projected economic growth, the projected infrastructural development and the projected improvement of health services in this country. More so, we will not achieve the safety net programmes which are targeted at the poor if the Budget is not implemented. I urge my colleagues who sit in different Departmental Committees that it is the work of those Committees to make sure that Budget implementation is monitored regularly. Even before we get the reports from the Controller of Budget, it would be important for the Committees at their own level to make sure that they get an update of how implementation is going on every two months so that we do not get to the end of the year and find that money has not been spent. Even as I humbly request the Committees to monitor the implementation, the National Treasury needs to take seriously the issue of release of funds by the Exchequer. The county governments and some ministries have stated clearly that even though they are ready to implement the Budget, there are delays in the release of funds by the Exchequer. It is obvious that if the National Treasury does not release money to the ministries and counties, we cannot blame them in terms of implementation. We do not expect them to implement projects using their pocket money. It is important that the National Treasury writes cash flow projections so that at the end of the day, the ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) and county governments get the required money for implementation. The other thing that is important is the Development Vote. In this Budget, we have set aside billions to carry out development activities in this country. We are aware that observational rates for the Development Vote have always been low. The Executive needs to do all it takes to make sure that the Development Vote is made available and at the same time implementation is fast-tracked. Unless we use the Development Vote, we are going to have challenges in achieving our projected economic growth. I plead with the Executive to make sure that the Development Vote is used. Every year, we use about 100 per cent of the funds allocated to Recurrent Expenditure but the Development Vote is not used. I sit on the Budget and Appropriations Committee and have seen that in the Supplementary Estimates for this year, we are reducing the Development Vote because the money was not used. This is a serious matter. It is important that all those who are charged with the responsibility of implementing the Budget make sure that the Development Vote is implemented. 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."
}