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{
    "id": 794453,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/794453/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 252,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Ichung’wah",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1835,
        "legal_name": "Anthony Kimani Ichung'Wah",
        "slug": "anthony-kimani-ichungwah"
    },
    "content": "The Committee has examined and discussed the Estimates and made recommendations which are contained in this report. I believe Members have a copy of the report, which if approved by the House, the recommendations will form the basis for the passage of the Second Supplementary Appropriations Act for the FY 2017/2018. In reviewing the Second Supplementary Estimates for 2017/2018, the Committee held five sittings, including one sitting yesterday till early this morning about 1.00 a.m. with the National Treasury. The Committee also received submissions and recommendations from various departmental committees, which have been taken into account in the finalisation of this report. However, it is worth noting that many departmental committees had sought additional allocations and we have struggled to allocate what was available within the resources available. It is also good to mention that these Second Supplementary Estimates come in the backdrop of a very tight fiscal position for our country. It is not lost on many Members and, indeed, the country that since the beginning of this financial year on 1st of July last year, the country was in an electioneering mode. We carried on the electioneering and campaigning business for the better part of the half year. We must take this opportunity to congratulate and thank His Excellency the President and the former Prime Minister for the wisdom they saw in the so-called famous handshake, because it has cooled down the political temperatures in this country and the Kenyan people can now focus on rebuilding our economy and, therefore, try to get our country on a very firm economic growth position. We did a lot of injustice, as politicians and as a country, to ourselves through a whole year of electioneering. Therefore, we have had challenges with our revenue being below the target and so austerity measures had to be taken. For the first time, we are seeing a lot of austerity measures, including a Bill that is already before this House to review the allocations to county governments. We have an amendment Bill that was tabled in this House to review county allocations, just in line with what has been done in the national Government. All arms of Government had huge cuts in expenditure. In the same spirit, we urge our county governments to also carry out such austerity measures. We must thank and congratulate those governors. In particular I want to mention Governor Wangamati of Bungoma County, who has taken time and measures to have austerity measures that will help save funds in the backdrop of these very difficult economic times. I want to encourage other governors to take the same measures in their counties, even without the reviews of the Division of Revenue Bill. In the same spirit, we would urge them to take austerity measures and have savings where they can. As I move this Motion, there is an amendment to the report. If you allow me, I want to read the proposed amendment to the Motion."
}