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In the budget, Sh50.74 billion will be for recurrent expenditure while Sh8.1 billion was set aside for development costs/FILE

Kenya

MPs approve Sh58bn ancillary budget

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 8 – Finance Minister Njeru Githae now has a reason to smile after Parliament on Tuesday morning finally passed the Sh58.8 billion supplementary budget.

In the budget, Sh50.74 billion will be for recurrent expenditure while Sh8.1 billion was set aside for development costs.

In the budget, Sh50.74 billion will be for recurrent expenditure while Sh8.1 billion was set aside for development costs/FILE

In the budget, Sh50.74 billion will be for recurrent expenditure while Sh8.1 billion was set aside for development costs/FILE

Those to benefit from the additional funding include teachers, lecturers and health workers, who will get Sh17.74 billion, Sh4.87 billion and Sh4.48 billion respectively in salary increments.

“In accordance to the provision of Section 223 of the Constitution of Kenya, this House approves the withdrawal from the Consolidated Fund, of a sum of Sh58, 848,761,483, representing the total net estimates of recurrent and development expenditure,” said Deputy Speaker Farah Maalim, as he put the question for the Motion before the House.

The police will also get Sh6.6 billion and the defence forces Sh5.68 billion, to increase their salaries.

However during the debate, Githae had a rough time convincing some of the legislators why it was crucial to pass the much awaited Motion.

Dujis MP Adan Duale questioned the minister on how he arrived at the Sh6.8 billion he allocated to the county governments for recurrent expenditure and why he did not consult the Commission on Revenue Allocation.

“The bone of contention has been the Sh6.8billion to be used by the counties for the four months from March to June (2013). That translates to 3.3 percent which is far way below the 15percent or Sh30 billion, which is supposed to be allocated to the county governments,” Duale argued.

The mini-budget does not provide any development funds to the 47 counties, whose governors and other staff will draw salaries up to June with zero funds to spend on development.

Last week, MPs refused to pass the estimates demanding that the minister first presents the Transition County Allocation of Revenue Bill, the Division of Revenue Bill, the County Allocation of Revenue Bill and The Transition County Appropriation Bill.

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However the remaining bills are expected to be debated on Tuesday afternoon after they were tabled last week.

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