Treasury tables second Sh64bn mini-budget

Treasury secretary Henry Rotich. FILE PHOTO | NMG 

By EDWIN MUTAI

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The Treasury has tabled a second mini-budget amounting to Sh64.1 billion to finance food subsidy, election-related security operations and other services a month to the end of the current financial year.

The Treasury is seeking to increase the budget for the national government by Sh48.6 billion, Parliament (Sh34 million) and reduce the recurrent budget for the Judiciary by Sh50 million.

The consolidated fund will be raised by Sh15.5 billion out of which Sh10.5 billion is meant for the Treasury bond interest, Sh1 billion for civil servants pension and Sh4 billion for civil servants gratuity payments.

“The proposed total increment of Sh64.1 billion is an increase of 2.9 per cent of approved budget estimates and an overall change of 2.2 per cent by both supplementary budgets (I and II),” the Budget Office, which advises MPs on fiscal matters said in a brief to the Budget and Appropriations Committee.

The Treasury has set Sh42.1 billion towards development expenditure and Sh6.5 billion for recurrent bringing the total allocation to the national government to Sh48.6 billion.

The Budget Office questioned the Sh523 million allocated to the Interior ministry.

Financial analysts also queried the allocation of Sh3.7 billion for recruitment  and training of police officers as well as enhanced security operations ahead of the August 8 General Election.