Kenyan citizens have until July 22 to submit their feedback on the new budget, following the rejection of the Financial Bill. The National Assembly’s Budget and Appropriations Committee will start gathering public opinions on the Supplementary Estimates (No.1) for the 2024/2025 fiscal year, covering both recurrent and development expenditures, as well as the revised Programme-Based Budget.
President William Ruto returned the Financial Bill to Parliament for withdrawal after protests led to over 40 deaths and 300 injuries. Speaker Moses Wetangula instructed the Ndindi Nyoro-led Committee to prepare and present its report to the House by July 24, enabling MPs to review the Supplementary Estimates and the Supplementary Appropriation legislation.
A notice published in Sunday’s newspapers specified that all written submissions on the Supplementary Estimates should clearly identify the sender’s name, organization, and contact information. Submissions can be delivered in person to the Office of the Clerk at the Main Parliament Buildings in Nairobi or emailed and must be received by 5:00 PM on Monday, July 22, 2024.
The Supplementary Estimates aim to align the 2024/25 Budget with the Revised Fiscal Framework and implement expenditure reductions across the government’s three branches, Constitutional Commissions, and Independent Offices.
The estimates propose a reduction of Sh156.39 billion in the budget for the three arms of government, with Sh34.04 billion allocated for recurrent expenses and Sh122.35 billion for development projects. This represents a 6.6 percent decrease from the approved expenditures in the 2024/2025 Estimates.
The financing plan for the 2024/25 fiscal year, originally relying on additional revenue measures totaling Sh344 billion proposed in the 2024 Finance Bill, faces a funding gap due to the bill not being enacted.
These proposed budgetary adjustments coincide with projected declines in estimated revenue from 18.5 percent to 17.5 percent of GDP and a corresponding reduction in expenditure from 22.1 percent of GDP.
It also aims to tackle an anticipated rise in the total fiscal deficit, including grants, from 3.3 percent of GDP to 3.6 percent of GDP.
