The Budget and Appropriations Committee (BAC) has endorsed the Treasury’s proposals to allocate Sh3.7 billion for purchase of maize to replenish the empty strategic grain reserve.
A House committee has approved the allocation of Sh8.4 billion for the strategic food reserve, election-related security operations and salaries for medical practitioners.
The Budget and Appropriations Committee (BAC) endorsed the Treasury’s proposals to allocate Sh3.7 billion for purchase of maize to replenish the empty strategic grain reserve.
“The major increments will mainly be for security operations amounting to Sh3.2 billion so as to increase security operations,” BAC chairman Mutava Musyimi says in a report on the Supplementary Budget II tabled in the National Assembly Tuesday evening.
Maize at the strategic grain reserves on May 15 dropped to 50,000 bags, enough to feed the country for half a day, underlining the magnitude of the food crisis in the country.
The reserve, which is expected to hold five million bags to cushion the country from food shortages, has been depleted by the recent release of 1,050,000 bags to millers to help curb the runaway flour prices.
Kenya in last month announced subsidies of Sh6 billion to maize importers to help lower the cost of flour which shot up due to drought.
The subsidy cut the price of a 90 kg bag of maize to Sh2, 300 from above Sh4,000, allowing the 2kg packet of flour to be sold for Sh90 against the market cost of more than Sh140.
Rising prices of staple maize flour and other foods has become a political headache for President Uhuru Kenyatta ahead of polls.
The Health Ministry had been allocated Sh1.5 billion to cater for salaries for medical practitioners under the various collective bargaining agreements (CBA).
Nurses are currently on strike to push for additional perks months after doctors in March ended their 100-day strike.
Security agencies budget has been increased by Sh3.2 billion ahead of tight contest for the presidency in the August 8 poll.
President Uhuru Kenyatta is running for a second and final five-year term against main challenger Raila Odinga.
At least 1,200 people were killed after ethnic violence broke out following the disputed December 2007 election.
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