{"count":1608389,"next":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/?format=json&page=152749","previous":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/?format=json&page=152747","results":[{"id":1545672,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1545672/?format=json","text_counter":227,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen Tabitha Mutinda","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker. I take this opportunity to welcome the students from Ndiaini Secondary School, Nyeri County, and also not forgetting the other school from Kitengela. One thing that makes you all to be on that level of education is because you are all students. I always say that education is the only thing that nobody will ever take away from you. The knowledge and the skills that you gain while in school are very important. Nobody will take that from you. I always encourage students to enjoy your moment in their learning institutions because they are not going to be in primary school and high school throughout their life. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."},{"id":1545673,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1545673/?format=json","text_counter":228,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen Tabitha Mutinda","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"Our work is to legislate, to represent and to oversight. We have a Speaker; as we speak right now, we have Madam Temporary Speaker, who is like the principal or the headmistress of the institution. We have the leadership of the House, the way you have deans in school, and we sit as Members. So, it is like another institution that has laws that we adhere to, the same way you have laws. I encourage you to enjoy your studies. The sky is the limit. You can as well be here today. The students from Kajiado County, I sit next to your Senator, but he had to leave for some other work. The students of Nyeri County, behind me, sits the Senator for Nyeri County. I will pass my regards. Thank you, Madam Speaker, for that opportunity."},{"id":1545674,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1545674/?format=json","text_counter":229,"type":"scene","speaker_name":"","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"(Resumption of debate on Motion)"},{"id":1545675,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1545675/?format=json","text_counter":230,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen Tabitha Mutinda","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"I now take this opportunity to second my colleague, Sen. (Dr.) Boni Khalwale, Senior on the issue of the 2025 Medium-Term Debt Management Strategy that we as a committee have deliberated on. I am happy to say that the Cabinet Secretary, Hon. John Mbadi appeared before the Committee today. We were able to get into some of the issues, definitely pertaining to the issue of debt, which I think when I was doing my contribution on the Budget Policy Statement, I touched on because they interrelate. We deal with these two matters of the Budget Policy Statement and 2025 Medium-Term Debt Management Strategy concurrently. The issue that we focused on was to try and understand the increment of the debt compared to the Gross domestic product (GDP) which is currently at 65.7 percent. Madam Temporary Speaker, this was of concern because last year, this was capped at 55.5 per cent. However, the Cabinet Secretary was able to state before the Committee that actually this has reduced from 72 per cent to where it is at 65.7 per cent of the GDP. It has been a reduction, which has been brought about by strengthening of the Kenya shilling versus the dollar, and which has saved us a whopping Kshs24 billion as a country, money that has been able to be transferred to schools for capitation as well as other budgets. As I mentioned earlier, we were also able to raise the issue of domestic borrowing at 65 per cent and the external borrowing at 35per cent, putting in mind the position of the private sector because of the interest rates at the banks. Madam Temporary Speaker, on the issue of debts, we also deliberated on pending bills, both at the county level and at the national level, because we have quite a chunk and this issue of pending bills, is a thorny issue. We were able to ask the Minister the amount of non-performing loans as far as the issue of pending bills are concerned. The way Kenyans are suffering, they are not able to pay their loans simply because their supplies have also not been paid, yet each and every year we are budgeting. So, we asked the National Treasury the same thing we also asked the Council of Governors (CoG), to push to reduce the pending bills so that money can be able to circulate. Most business people are stuck because of pending bills, yet services have been The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."},{"id":1545676,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1545676/?format=json","text_counter":231,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen Tabitha Mutinda","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"rendered or goods have been delivered. We also deliberated on the issue of the cash basis versus the accrual basis of accounting and the importance of the accrual accounting system. As we speak, counties and the national Government have been using the cash basis system, which brings about the audit queries. With regards to debt, we deliberated on where are we with the debt, how much has been borrowed, how much has been paid, the timelines for payment, interest rates, terms and conditions and what was agreed, because these need to come to light. As I said earlier, there was a committee that the President had proposed last year, which brought a lot of politics. However, the Minister was able to promise the Committee that through the Office of the Auditor-General, this report should be tabled and we should be more informed on the level or how much debt has been borrowed, what is expected to be borrowed, because as we continue doing budgets, we are prospecting, we do not have the actuals, hence the borrowing comes in. However, if you look at borrowing on the positive perspective, our credibility is positive, hence we are able to get the approvals for the loan or we are able to be supported. However, we need to ensure that we prioritize, on the human resource capital. If the human resource is demoralized, and not paid their dues on time, especially when you look at the issues in the health sector, the nation is not able to progress and achieve most of its goals that have been se, in the different dockets. I therefore urge the Members to support our Report. We are behind time, as far as the Budget Policy Statement and the 2025 Medium-Term Debt Management Strategy are concerned. I would like to urge colleagues that before the end of this week, through the able leadership of the Senate Majority Leader, Sen. Aaron Cheruiyot, and his counterpart, Sen. Madzayo, to ensure that we pass these two Motions, otherwise, then we are not within the timelines. I have also informed the House that we are having Public Finance Management (PFM) Act amendments to increase the timeline. Normally, the time is too short, yet this is a very critical issue. Lastly, I would like to mention that, we have noticed also as a Committee that some budgets have been set at the national level, especially the Ministry of Health. More funding has been able to move. If you look at the specific funding, you will realize this is a project that should be done within the county level. With those remarks, I do second."},{"id":1545677,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1545677/?format=json","text_counter":232,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Veronica Mana","speaker_title":"The Temporary Speaker","speaker":null,"content":" Thank you, Sen. Tabitha."},{"id":1545678,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1545678/?format=json","text_counter":233,"type":"scene","speaker_name":"","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"(Question proposed)"},{"id":1545679,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1545679/?format=json","text_counter":234,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Veronica Mana","speaker_title":"The Temporary Speaker","speaker":null,"content":"I would like to now invite the Senators to contribute to this Motion, beginning with the Majority Leader."},{"id":1545680,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1545680/?format=json","text_counter":235,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Cheruiyot","speaker_title":"The Senate Majority Leader","speaker":{"id":13165,"legal_name":"Aaron Kipkirui Cheruiyot","slug":"aaron-cheruiyot"},"content":" I thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker. This is an important Report that comes from the Committee on Finance and Budget. It is a pity that it is being moved late in the evening when most Members are out. However, I hope that each Senator gets an opportunity to speak on this particular issue, because it is a very fundamental issue. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."},{"id":1545681,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1545681/?format=json","text_counter":236,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Cheruiyot","speaker_title":"The Senate Majority Leader","speaker":{"id":13165,"legal_name":"Aaron Kipkirui Cheruiyot","slug":"aaron-cheruiyot"},"content":"Personally, I have been very consistent on my call for a better management of our debt situation as a country. From the days last Parliament, when we raised first, the nominal figure, I think from six to 10 per cent, I opposed that move, for reasons that I will speak in to, and why I feel the Finance and Budget Committee, though they have done good work, can do better on this particular issue. It is not just a ticking of the box when the National Treasury lays before the House the debt management strategy that they want to bring before Parliament. We are placed with serious responsibility as a legislature, and the institution of accountability, where we can call on the National Treasury and ask them, to perhaps do better on many areas. This issue of debt is not a simple issue. It is a serious issue, which, if not properly managed, can lead the country into economic collapse. This is a threat that we have lived with for a while. Madam Temporary Speaker, if you take time to read the Kenya Kwanza Manifesto, you will see that the issue of debt featured quite prominently, and it is described there as a perfect economic storm, what Kenya finds itself in. That, we still are tinkering on or about 70 percent. From the figure that they have given to be specific here, is that we are currently at 65.7 percent of the GDP, which is not an interesting figure. Remember, when we passed the amendment that I supported to a percentage and we explained the justification there in 2023, if I am not wrong, the argument was that that is more scientific and accurate than having it in a nominal figure, such that, as the economy continues to grow, you keep your debt at a sustainable level. Due to the situation that we are in, the fiscal space that we find ourselves in, it is not possible not to borrow, yet you must still also do so responsibly. If today we were to say that we are not borrowing any shilling, as I have seen people ignorantly argue so many times in public spaces, perhaps then debt repayment might be the only thing that we will be able to do, because unfortunately, it is a first charge on our Consolidated Fund. With a debt repayment of close to Kshs1.6 trillion, then you will be left with less than Kshs600 trillion to fund counties, yet you have not paid salaries. Therefore, let us not even have that conversation, because it is totally impossible today, in this economy, not to borrow and fail to default, because you will have to choose one thing. Madam Temporary Speaker, if you do not borrow, then one of the two most important charges - debt repayment and payment of salaries on our consolidated account will have to give way. Either we will have to default on debt repayment or on salaries to all the people that earn from the Kenyan taxpayer, which includes doctors, teachers, police officers and civil servants. It is not an very interesting situation and, therefore, we have always requested that this debt management strategy be anchored on our fiscal deficit as a good measure of whether what we are doing is right or wrong. There must be a clear demonstration that there is an effort to consolidate fiscally so that we continue to reduce our deficit year-on- year, once we do our budget to a point where we are not borrowing more than the previous year; but we are borrowing barely enough to meet what is most critical and to also seek ways through which we can grow our own economy and pay up on our major debts. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."}]}