State House Hit as CoB Rejects Sh47 Billion Spending Requests



The Controller of Budget, Margaret Nyakang'o, strongly objected to the spending proposals of State House, 18 ministries, and several agencies, turning down a significant Sh47 billion worth of their emergency clause requests made from July to December 2023.

Just Sh3.29 billion, representing a small portion of the sought-after Sh51 billion, received approval, prompting doubts regarding the validity of the proposed expenses.

Nyakang'o stated that the majority of the 31 expenditure requests received were considered unnecessary, providing rationale for dismissing nearly 93 percent of the requested funds.

Among these were a State House appeal for new vehicles totaling Sh400 million in July and a proposal for a luxurious presidential dais at the State House gardens amounting to Sh700 million in October.

Furthermore, pleas for financial support from four State agencies grappling with Sh12.6 billion in outstanding bills, the Ministry of Energy's request for Sh18.4 billion to stabilize fuel prices, and the Ministry of Defence's plea for Sh200 million for El Nino operations were all emphatically rejected.

Although Article 223 of the Constitution provides the government with access to extra funding for unexpected events, Nyakang'o stressed that the sanctioned Sh3.29 billion for the fiscal year 2023/2024 comfortably adhered to the 10 percent limit stipulated by the Constitution.

"In the first six months of the financial year 2023/2024, the COB authorized a total of Sh3.29 billion under Article 223 of the constitution," Nyakang'o said in her report.

"This amount was 0.07 per cent of the gross budget estimates and, therefore, within the 10 per cent set out in Article 223 of the constitution," she went on. 

Nevertheless, the turned-down appeals raise concerns regarding the possibility of extravagant expenditure.

Director of Immigration Evelyn Cheluget attributed the scarcity to a deficit in booklets, possibly related to the rejected funding plea.

According to the COB budget implementation review report for the six months ending in December, the State Department for Immigration sought Sh500 million in October for the procurement of E-Passport booklets, a request that was not granted.

Also Read: Govt Addresses Shortage of Passports

This request from the State Department may elucidate why Kenyan citizens have encountered difficulties obtaining passports from the Immigration Department, particularly in light of recent acknowledgments by the department that it faced a shortage of passport booklets.

Additional declined requests comprised Sh16.3 million for an official car for a Cabinet Secretary and a total of Sh720.4 million for the State Departments of Youth Affairs, Arts, and MSMEs.

Nyakang'o's report stands as a clear indication of the necessity for prudent management of public funds and emphasizes the critical role of thorough examination for requests submitted under emergency provisions.

The dismissed proposals prompt worries about potential misallocation of finances and emphasize the necessity for enhanced openness and responsibility in public expenditure.




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