, NAIROBI, Kenya, June 13- The security agencies have benefited from a lion share in the Sh3.02 trillion 2019/20 budget.
In the budget read by Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich on Thursday, the State Department of Interior received the highest amount at Sh140.5 billion followed by the Defence Ministry which was allocated Sh121.6 billion.
The spy agency- National Intelligence Service (NIS)- got Sh37.7 billion with Sh26.9 billion allocated to the Prisons Department.
The CS said the “allocation to the State Department of Interior includes Sh 22.8 billion for House Allowance for the Police and Prisons, and Sh 6.9 billion for Police and Prison Officers Medical Scheme.”
“Mr. Speaker, a safe and secure environment is a precondition for achieving the “Big Four” agenda,” he said.
The government further allocated Sh88 billion to various agencies tasked with fighting corruption in a move aimed at fueling the renewed war against the vice, on the day US Ambassador to Kenya Kyle McCarter said that Kenya is losing Sh812 billion annually.
CS Rotich said the new allocation will “sustain the drive against corruption” to ensure Kenyans don’t continue losing billions of shillings from the public coffers.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission was given Sh2.9 billion, the Office of Director of Public Prosecutions Sh3 billion and Sh50 billion to the Assets Recovery Agency (ARA).
The Office of the Auditor General, which is tasked with the primary oversight role of ensuring accountability in the use of public resources within the three Arms of Government, was allocated Sh5.7 billion and Sh7.1 billion to the criminal investigation services.
He allocated Sh40.5 billion to the Legislature and some Sh19.4 billion for the Judiciary in what he said will enhance “access to justice.”
