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Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetang’ula has confirmed the reception of the supplementary estimates aimed at trimming the 2024/25 budget.

Wetang’ula confirmed that the National Treasury submitted the estimates together with the programme-based budget and the memorandum on the said estimates, for consideration by the House.

“The supplementary estimates (No.1) for the Financial Year 2024/2025 seek to rationalize the 2024/25 budget estimates to align to the revised fiscal framework and actualize expenditure cuts across the three arms of government, constitutional commissions and independent offices,” a statement signed by the Speaker read.

The Speaker consequently invoked standing orders 42(2) and (4) which require him to cause the transmission of any message received from the executive at a time when the house is not in session to every member, refer the message to the relevant committee(s) and later report such message to the house at its next sitting.

“Recalling that on February 14, 2024, the House resolved that during the short and long recesses of the third session, upon receipt of any papers for tabling before the House, the Speaker shall forthwith refer the papers to the relevant committee(s) for consideration pursuant to the relevant standing orders and report such fact to the house upon resumption,” the statement added.

Submission for committees’ consideration

The supplementary estimates and all documents submitted by the National Treasury have been referred to the Budget and Appropriations Committee and the Departmental Committees for consideration.

“The Budget and Appropriations Committee is required to guide the process, seek public views and report to the House on or before Wednesday,  July 24, 2024, to enable the House to subsequently consider the supplementary estimates and the supplementary appropriation legislation so as to give effect to the revised fiscal framework and the proposed expenditure reductions,” Wetang’ula’s statement concluded.

The move to trim the 2024/25 budget was occasioned by the withdrawal of the Finance Bill 2024. The controversial tax-collection proposed law was not assented to by President William Ruto following a public clash.

The government therefore undertook some austerity measures in order to reduce expenditure in the wake of the public outcry and the withdrawal of the bill.

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