House team wants Budget discussion deadline extended
The National Assembly chambers. A committee will ask House Speaker to extend the period for Budget consultations beyond Wednesday. FILE
What you need to know:
Committee will ask the Speaker to extend talks that should end on Wednesday to next Thursday so that it can receive and consider submissions on the 2013/14 Budget from departmental committees of the House and other interested parties.
A committee will ask the National Assembly Speaker to extend the period for Budget consultations beyond Wednesday.
The Budget and Appropriations Committee wants the date extended to Thursday next week (May 30) so that it can receive and consider submissions on the 2013/14 Budget from departmental committees of the House and other interested parties.
The resolution to consult the Speaker was reached after it became clear that it would be difficult to meet the 21-day deadline within which consultations and hearings on the Budget must be done.
The three weeks would have expired on Wednesday since the Estimates were laid before the House on May 2.
In section 235(1), the new Standing Orders provide that “each Departmental Committee shall consider, discuss and review the estimates according to its mandate and submit its report and recommendations to the Budget and Appropriations Committee within 21 days, after being laid before the House.”
Among the issues expected to have been determined within that time is the Senate’s position on the amount of cash that should be set aside for counties.
During a workshop held at Ole Sereni Hotel in Nairobi by MPs and the Parliamentary Budget Office on Tuesday, it was noted that the Division of Revenue Bill was behind schedule by weeks, causing a delay in hearings on the Budget estimates.
There were also ongoing consultations with the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) over MPs’ emoluments. The SRC has insisted that MPs will earn a basic pay of Sh535,000 each, but the politicians are arguing for the reinstatement of the Sh851,000 salary earned by members of the 10th Parliament.
During the workshop, director of Budget Office Phyllis Makau told MPs that the only dates that had to be adhered to were those of April 30 and June 30 as they are provided for in the Constitution.
By April 30, Budget estimates must be submitted while by June 30 the Appropriations Bill must be passed as the new fiscal year begins — failure to which the national government can only provisionally access half the cash.
Ms Makau said it was upon the MPs to change the other dates, such as the 21 days period, as they are provided by the Standing Orders.
