Uhuru takes charge of Budget ahead of polls

President Uhuru Kenyatta addresses Cabinet and principal secretaries during a retreat in Naivasha on April 18, 2016. PHOTO | PSCU 

By GEORGE OMONDI, omondi@ke.nationmedia.com

In Summary

• The task of deciding government’s spending priorities has previously been the preserve of the Treasury and Parliament’s budgetary Committee.
• Mr Waita, who joined State House last year from Safaricom, oversees the PDU, Office of Budget Management, Office of Performance Management and Co-ordination and State Corporations Oversight Office.
• The Budget for the year starting July is the most crucial for President Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto who romped to power more than three years ago on the promise of implementing a number of projects.

The Cabinet is set to use its two-day retreat ending in Naivasha this afternoon to align the 2016/17 spending plan with State House priorities as the country prepares for elections next year.

President Uhuru Kenyatta led the discussions on the budgetary priorities from Monday morning, sending a strong signal of his intention to take control of next financial year’s budgetary process.

The task of deciding government’s spending priorities has previously been the preserve of the Treasury and Parliament’s budgetary Committee.

“The process (Cabinet retreat) leads to the presentation of the budget to Parliament by the National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich and debate and final approval,” the Presidential Strategic Communication Unit said in a brief to media houses.

The Budget for the year starting July is the most crucial for President Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto who romped to power more than three years ago on the promise of implementing a number of projects.

Among other promises, the duo promised to boost food security by putting at least one million acres of land under irrigation, build five stadiums, generate 5,000 megawatts of power and provide Class One laptops.

They also promised to grow manufacturing sector by offering tax incentives and grants to investors, promote Kenya as an end destination rather than a stop-over for tourists, recruit 15,000 police officers annually in five years and end cattle rustling.

Development agenda

Last year, Mr Kenyatta created the Presidential Delivery Unit (PDU), headed by Nzioka Waita, in a bid to speed up delivery of flagship projects as clock ticked towards August 2017 elections.

Mr Waita, who joined State House last year from Safaricom, oversees the PDU, Office of Budget Management, Office of Performance Management and Co-ordination and State Corporations Oversight Office.

The Office of Budget Management will be working in collaboration with the Treasury to translate the President’s development agenda into tangible budgetary plans, offering State House a direct role in the budget making process.

At the Naivasha retreat attended by Deputy President William Ruto as well Cabinet and principal secretaries, the State House made known its intention to take charge of the budgetary process.

“We look forward to a frank and open discussion about our priorities, and what we must deliver within the resources available to us,” President Kenyatta said at the start of the event.

It was not immediately clear whether the retreat would also resort to drastic decisions such as a 20 per cent pay cut that President Kenyatta ordered at a similar forum two years ago.

The Naivasha meeting is also expected to deliberate on corruption, so far a major blot on the Jubilee coalition’s rule.