The Liaison Committee embarks on examining Supplementary II Estimates for FY 2024/25

The Liaison Committee embarks on examining Supplementary II Estimates for FY 2024/25

𝐊𝐢𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐮 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐲, 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝟏𝟎, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓.

The Liaison Committee chaired by Hon. Gladys Boss (Uasin Gishu), commenced examining twenty Departmental Committee reports on the Supplementary II Estimates for the Financial Year 2024/25.

The committee received submissions from Chairpersons for fifteen Departmental Committees, with the majority proposing reallocations, transfers and additional funding for various critical projects being undertaken by the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) that they oversight.

The Chairperson for the Committee on Energy, Hon. Vincent Musyoka (Mwala), proposed a reduction and increase to various projects under the State Department of Energy, which has an increase in recurrent expenditure amounting to Kshs. 72.8 million, and a reduction in development expenditure amounting to Kshs. 7.7 billion.

Further, Hon. Musyoka requested for additional allocation of Kshs. 200 million for the electrification of public facilities, Kshs. 200 million for the installation of transformers in Constituencies and Kshs. 100 million for the street lighting projects.

The Committee on Health Chairperson, Hon. (Dr) Robert Pukose (Endebess), during his presentation, proposed a reallocation of funds within the two State Departments under its purview and also called on the committee to consider allocating resources to critical areas and programmes.

The Sports and Culture Committee Chairperson Hon. Dan Wanyama (Webuye West), recommended that the Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports and the Cabinet Secretary for Defense table a Report before the National Assembly clearly indicating the working modalities between the two Ministries in respect to the construction of CHAN and AFCON stadia and training grounds, including the projected costs, completion timelines and amounts expended to date.

Hon. Wanyama made further recommendations on status reports on the development of the licensing, monitoring, collection and distribution system of royalties to artists as a way of rewarding creativity and talent and the operationalization of the National Heroes’ Fund by the respective CSs.

The Trade, Industry and Cooperatives Vice-chairperson Hon. Marianne Kitany (Aldai), highlighted various areas in their MDAs that require additional funding, further proposing reinstatement of Kshs. 452 million under the State Department for (MSMEs) Development and Kshs. 455 million under the State Department for Investment Promotion, under the Kenya Jobs Economic Transformation (KJET) project, which is a donor-funded project.

The Chairperson of the Committee on Tourism and Wildlife, Hon. Kareke Mbiuki (Maara), proposed various transfers to its MDAs, further imploring the committee to consider transferring Kshs. 900 million allocated to the Tourism Promotion Fund to the Tourism Implementing Agencies, considering that the Fund has an enhanced Appropriations in Aid (AIA) collection of Kshs. 2.8 billion, hence reducing its allocation in Supplementary II from Kshs. 5.081 billion to Kshs. 4.181 billion.

Members also heard from the Chairperson of the Communication, Information and Innovation Committee, Hon. John Kiarie (Dagoretti South), who tabled a wish list of unfunded priorities totalling Kshs. 566 million, comprising Kshs. 321 million for ICT infrastructure development to cater for internet services, alternative sustainable power solutions and maintenance of existing installations of public Wi-Fi.

The remaining Kshs. 245 million was recommended to be used to equip seven media and ICT hubs in Kisumu, Busia, Kisii, Eldoret, Nakuru, Meru and Tharaka.

Other Committees that submitted their reports today are: Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations; Justice and Legal Affairs; Lands; Blue Economy, Water and Irrigation; Labour; Education; Housing and Public Works, Administration and Internal Security; and Finance and National Planning.