The Treasury has effected a Sh3.6 billion budget cut to water projects through its second supplementary budget tabled in Parliament 14 days to the end of the financial year.
The mini budget saw Treasury cut the 2022/23 budget by Sh31.1 billion in total.
The National Assembly’s committee on Water and Irrigation said the Treasury cut Sh2.6 billion for Water, Sh630 million for Fisheries and Blue Economy and Sh300 million for Irrigation.
“The budget cut will affect water projects which are almost 80 to 90 percent complete. There are contractors pending certificates that need to be cleared for them to complete the projects,” Kangogo Bowen, who chairs the committee, said.
He asked the Budget and Appropriations Committee (BAC) to reinstate the entire budget for the three departments.
The committee chaired by Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro agreed with Mr Bowen and reinstated the entire Sh300 million to Irrigation and Sh600 million for Fisheries and Blue Economy.
The BAC said it will rationalise the budget for Thwake Multipurpose Dam, which has received Sh5 billion donor funding. The committee said it will cut Sh1.5 billion from Thwake to fund other areas.
Mr Bowen said all projects that were identified by Kenyans during the public participation on the 2022/23 budget had been affected by the budget cuts.
“The Sh300 million that has been reinstated will go to projects identified during the public participation. We are going to ensure that the projects the public identified are funded to completion,” Mr Bowen said.
