{"count":1608389,"next":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/?format=json&page=160489","previous":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/?format=json&page=160487","results":[{"id":1623072,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1623072/?format=json","text_counter":4499,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Kikuyu, UDA","speaker_title":"Hon. Kimani Ichung’wah","speaker":null,"content":"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."},{"id":1623073,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1623073/?format=json","text_counter":4500,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Kikuyu, UDA","speaker_title":"Hon. Kimani Ichung’wah","speaker":null,"content":"I can hear some Members complaining, specifically Hon. KJ, who is in charge of the Departmental Committee on Communication, Information and Innovation, which is supposed to ensure that the digital economy is also well catered for. I was congratulating and thanking these Members because, when we usually break for the long recess in May, the Members who sit on the Departmental Committees and those who sit on the Budget and Appropriations Committee have no recess. They put in a lot of their time, away from their families and their constituents, to sit and deliberate on these Budget Estimates."},{"id":1623074,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1623074/?format=json","text_counter":4501,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Kikuyu, UDA","speaker_title":"Hon. Kimani Ichung’wah","speaker":null,"content":"As the Chairman has ably put it, these Budget Estimates, as they came to us, come in the backdrop of a time that is both promising and one where we are coming from a very difficult period economically. You can see that from the revenue projections compared to what we had last year. With the challenges we faced this last Financial Year, which is ending this June, you may recall that it was a year marked by a very false start at the beginning, following the collapse of the Finance Bill. Eventually, when we rescued the revenue-raising measures that were in the Finance Bill of 2024, at the beginning of December last year, we only had about five months to realise the revenue projections that had been envisaged as we prepared the Budget Estimates for the last Budget of the 2024/2025 Financial Year."},{"id":1623075,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1623075/?format=json","text_counter":4502,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Kikuyu, UDA","speaker_title":"Hon. Kimani Ichung’wah","speaker":null,"content":"We are fortunate that this year we are starting at a time when our economy is not doing as badly as it was before, and there are fewer disruptions to our economy. The rains have done us a little bit of justice. Therefore, food production, in the backdrop of the subsidised fertiliser programme, which has been provided with adequate resources in these Budget Estimates, has augmented our productivity in terms of food production. When a nation is food secure, the economy is naturally bound to do better. We have always prided ourselves on being an agro-based economy, which means that when agriculture is doing well, the entire economy naturally will do well. This has not only been reflected in reduced food prices for consumers but also in better returns for farmers, including those in the dairy sector who, through Kenya Cooperative Creameries (KCC), now enjoy a minimum of Ksh50 per litre of their milk delivered to KCC. Additionally, farmers in Embu are happy since they are benefiting from a very good coffee price, if not the best in the last 10 years. I can see Hon. Mukunji smiling because he knows farmers in Manyatta are happy. This has been a result of the progressive and well- focused economic policies that this Government chose to embark on in 2022. Away from the populist things that people say out there in funerals, weddings and other political rallies, the policies implemented under the BETA are bearing good fruit for the people of Kenya. Some, of course, as we said earlier, may not have been very popular with the people, but it is not always true that what is popular is correct and what is right is popular. I am glad that this administration chose to do what is right and not necessarily what is popular. The popularity of these policies is now evident, as evidenced by the significant investment made in the housing sector following the implementation of the Housing Agenda in this country. Many people doubted whether this would be a reality, but the continuous handover of the completed 1,200 units in Mukuru caused huge frenzy in the country. Many people were led to believe by naysayers that the housing agenda would never materialise, and they would never see those houses. People believed that those houses were being built for a select few. Probably, it was expected that the Members of Parliament, governors, and Cabinet Secretaries would be the owners of those houses. Today, we have seen"},{"id":1623076,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1623076/?format=json","text_counter":4503,"type":"scene","speaker_name":"","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"Mama Samakis"},{"id":1623077,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1623077/?format=json","text_counter":4504,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Kikuyu, UDA","speaker_title":"Hon. Kimani Ichung’wah","speaker":null,"content":"in Homabay, Mama Mboga in Kisumu, bodaboda riders and hawkers in Mukuru Kwa Njenga, Nairobi, being proud homeowners. There is no greater dignity we can give to our people than providing them with the opportunity to become homeowners and achieve economic stability. These Budget Estimates come with revenue projections, including Appropriations-In- Aid (AIA), totalling Ksh3.3 billion. That constitutes about 17.2 per cent of our Gross Domestic 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."},{"id":1623078,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1623078/?format=json","text_counter":4505,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Kikuyu, UDA","speaker_title":"Hon. Kimani Ichung’wah","speaker":null,"content":"Product (GDP). On the other side, we have expenditure estimates of Ksh4,239.9 billion. That indicates that, ahead of anything else, you are already in a deficit of close to Ksh876 billion, which constitutes a fiscal deficit of approximately 4.5 per cent of our GDP in the next Financial Year. I am mentioning these figures because they are important, even as we embark on what the Speaker has read out to us in his Communication this afternoon regarding a mediation process with our colleagues in the Senate on the Division of Revenue Bill, which we will mediate. I want to take this opportunity to implore on the part of our governors and senators, that even as we go into that mediation process, we bear in mind the kind of figures we are talking about. It is very easy to throw around figures of Ksh480 or Ksh500 billion and say this is what should go to the counties. I mentioned this afternoon during an interview with one of our media houses. We all support devolution, and we would like to see allocations reaching Ksh600 billion or Ksh700 billion at some point. However, it is essential to emphasise accountability regarding how that money is utilised. A lot of this money is being looted in the counties. We must hold our county governors accountable for the funds allocated to them. It is one thing to demand funds and an entirely different matter to ensure accountability. Some counties have benefited from huge amounts since the inception of devolution. Yet, their people continue to languish in poverty with no health coverage, water or better roads, despite electing governors year after year. Some governors become wealthier with each passing day. We have observed this, especially in cases where certain individuals have been arrested and have protested by damaging the vehicles of Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) officials, as they do not wish to be held accountable. The EACC, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and all other agencies must know that individuals must be held accountable. If Members of Parliament are held accountable for the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF), which they do not implement, the same standards should apply to governors. Members of Parliament do not implement the NG-CDF, yet when issues arise in any constituency, it is always the Member of Parliament who faces scrutiny. What then should we say about county governors, who are executive Members of the Government responsible for implementing projects? We must recognise that we have a budget deficit of Ksh876 billion, which is close to Ksh900 billion, equivalent to 4.5 per cent of our gross domestic product. This indicates that we must be careful about what we commit to as we enter mediation. If we propose raising an additional Ksh60 billion to increase the revenue of Ksh465 billion for our county governments, this would mean the budget deficit would rise from Ksh876 billion to Ksh940 billion. Consequently, we would need to borrow more, and this borrowing incurs costs not only to the government but also to the business community, which must compete with the government for loans from our commercial banks. The government borrows from commercial banks, just as businesses do. This becomes counterproductive. If we have to manage our public debt, we must rationalise our expenditure even as we enhance our revenue-raising measures. I know we will discuss the revenue-raising measure in the Finance Bill later this month. Allow me to present the overall figures regarding our revenue projections and expenditures. For our county governments, the revenue estimates included in the Division of Revenue Bill that we submitted to the Senate have been amended to Ksh465 billion. Initially, we had proposed a figure of Ksh405.1 billion. However, there is often a misconception that only the money distributed through the shareable revenue formula, known as the Vertical Division of Revenue Bill, is allocated to our counties. In actual sense, the total amount allocated to our counties is Ksh 405.1 billion, plus additional allocations of nearly Ksh 70 billion, specifically Ksh 69.8 billion. Therefore, when we aggregate these two figures, Ksh405.1 billion and Ksh69.8 billion, we are discussing approximately Ksh474 billion being allocated to our counties. 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."},{"id":1623079,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1623079/?format=json","text_counter":4506,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Kikuyu, UDA","speaker_title":"Hon. Kimani Ichung’wah","speaker":null,"content":"As we talk about the figure of Ksh465 billion, let us also consider the total amount of Ksh474 billion that is going to our county governments. This includes the shareable revenue through the Division of Revenue, as well as additional county allocations and grants, totalling Ksh 69.8 billion. Even as we mediate these matters, we should do so with a sense of balance and rationalisation, so that we do not sink our country into further debt. Hon. Temporary Speaker, in support of our Judiciary, the Budget and Appropriations Committee has been very magnanimous in its support for the other arms of government. A significant amount of funding is being allocated to the Executive, the Judiciary and Parliament. The Budget and Appropriations Committee has made rational decisions to ensure that the Judiciary is adequately resourced to fulfil its role of delivering justice to Kenyans. They have allocated approximately Ksh 27 billion to the Judiciary, of which about Ksh 0.8 billion is designated for the Judicial Service Commission. The allocation comprises Ksh23.8 billion for recurrent expenditure and an additional Ksh2 billion for development purposes. The development funding aims to ensure the completion of all the Court buildings that have stalled across the country. Since I mentioned Honourable Doctor Nyikal, who is among the most diligent Members of this House and serves as the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Health, I would like to highlight some of the challenges that have hindered the Social Health Authority and the implementation of Taifa Care. Hon. (Dr) Nyikal will tell you that these challenges have primarily stemmed from inadequate resources allocated to the primary healthcare fund. I am happy to see that in these estimates, Ksh13 billion has now been earmarked for the primary health care fund. Furthermore, Ksh10 billion is allocated to the Emergency Chronic and Critical Illnesses Fund, Ksh23 billion for global funds related to HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria, Ksh16.6 billion for the coordination of universal health coverage, and Ksh10 billion to support national immunisation efforts. Hon. Temporary Speaker, I mention these figures because of the situation in the United States of America and the global funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). We have ensured that we are adequately resourcing our Ministry of Health to guarantee that our programmes addressing HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, and the coordination of national immunisation efforts do not falter due to a lack of funding from our donor community. These amounts have been set aside to cushion the health sector. In closing, I would like to confirm that universal health coverage under Taifa Care is functioning effectively. I am so happy that today, Kenyans do not need to be told by politicians if SHA is working; they are testifying in their villages about how their neighbours and relatives have had their bills catered for. I want to tell Kenyans that with an additional Ksh13 billion allocated to the primary healthcare fund, all they need to do is visit their primary healthcare facility, provided that their governor has enrolled that facility under the Social Health Authority."},{"id":1623080,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1623080/?format=json","text_counter":4507,"type":"scene","speaker_name":"","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"(Hon. Kimani Ichung’wah’s microphone went off)"},{"id":1623081,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1623081/?format=json","text_counter":4508,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Hon. Farah Maalim","speaker_title":"The Temporary Speaker","speaker":null,"content":" Kindly add him a minute."}]}