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Prof Njuguna Ndung’u reads Kenya Kwanza’s maiden Budge
Thursday, Professor Njuguna Ndung’u, the Cabinet Secretary of the National Treasury, stormed the National Assembly to read the maiden national expenditure plan of the Kenya Kwanza administration— the 2023/2024 budget.
The CS’s initial minutes reading the budget were interrupted by the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya MPs, who walked out as soon as Ndung’u started addressing parliament.
The opposition MPs later told the press that they did not want to sanitize an illegal and selfish exercise, this their walk-out.
“We have walked out because Azimio does not believe in this budget. They don’t think this is a budget meant for the Kenyan people. This is a budget meant for the Kenya Kwanza government. So, until we get a budget founded on the premise of the Kenyan people, we will not participate,” said Junet Mohammed, the Suna East Mp.
“We are walking out because the budget has been fuelled by the illegal Finance Bill which increases the high cost of living. The government ignored the plight of poor Kenyans. We will use all the necessary means enshrined in the constitution to stop this Government from suppressing citizens,” said Babu Owino, the Embakasi East MP.
When calmness regained, Prof Ndung’u took three hours and 20 minutes to read out the 3.6 trillion budget. The education sector received the biggest stake of the national budget, with a total funding of Sh628.6 billion for the 2023-24 financial year, representing 27.4 percent of the planned national budget.
The allocation proposed by National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Njuguna Ndung’u increased from the Sh544.4 billion allocated to the sector last year.
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) took the largest portion of the budget (Sh 316.7 billion). The commission was allocated Sh1 billion for teacher promotions, although it had requested Sh2.2 billion.
It will also receive Sh4.8 billion for the recruitment of permanent and pensionable teachers and Sh4.8 billion for the recruitment of 20,000 contract teachers. A further Sh1.3 billion was proposed for training teachers on the competency-based curriculum (CBC).
The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) was allocated Sh5 billion for examinations for primary and secondary school students.
Meanwhile, the budget set aside Sh 141 billion for the national government health services. The building of new roads and the completion of delayed projects will consume Sh250 billion.
To boost agriculture, Sh.5 billion was allotted to the fertilizer subsidy program, and Sh.25 billion l allocated to settle arrears for unpaid oil subsidies.
The Kenya Kwanza administration allocated Sh3 billion to finalize the construction of 181 stalled markets that commenced in 2008. Counties were given Sh 4.7 billion as grants to install 47 aggregation and industrial parks in each county.
An additional Sh.3 billion was allotted for 6 Export Processing Zones Industrial Parks to promote job creation, decrease post-harvest losses, and enhance the processing, marketing, and distribution of farming products.
The Hustler Fund was given more Sh 10 billion to support entrepreneurship.
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