House extends consideration period for the 2025/2026 Budget Policy Statement and Debt Management Strategy

𝐓𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝟐𝟎𝐭𝐡 𝐅𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓
𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐲 𝐂h𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫

The National Assembly has resolved to extend the duration for the consideration of the 2025/2026 Budget Policy Statement and the Debt Management Strategy through two procedural motions moved on the floor of the House by Majority Party Whip, Hon Sylvanus Osoro.

The extension of the consideration period for the BPS and the Debt Management Strategy is necessitated by the lapse in the term of the Membership of the Budget and Appropriation Committee and subsequent delays in the reconstitution of the Committee Membership. 

Article 221 of the Constitution, section 39(2) of the Public Finance Management Act Cap 412A, and Standing Order 235(5) of the House mandates the Budget and Appropriations Committee (BAC) with consideration of the country’s Budgeting process.

Hon. Osoro, in moving the two procedural motions noted, “The budget making process is one of the key critical functions of this House. It really requires the complete active participation of all the Members of this House.”

“These procedural motions therefore seek to extend the statutory timelines needed to complete the processes.” He added.

Standing Order 232(7) spells out the timelines for consideration of the Budget Policy Statement. It requires that the Budget and Appropriation Committee must consider and table its report on the floor of the House within 14 days of receiving the BPS from the National Treasury. 

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 2025 𝘉𝘶𝘥𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘗𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘺 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘣𝘺 𝘢 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘯 (14) 𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 27𝘵𝘩 𝘍𝘦𝘣𝘳𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘺 2025.

Similarly, standing Order 232A (4) on its part also spells out the timelines under which the Budget and Appropriation Committee must finalise the consideration of Debt Management Strategy and table its report in the House. 

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘦𝘣𝘵 𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘨𝘺 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘦𝘯 (10) 𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 24𝘵𝘩 𝘍𝘦𝘣𝘳𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘺 2025.