The 2018/19 Budget Policy Statement, the Supplementary Budget and a number of government bills that are key in the implementation of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Big Four Agenda are among the crucial businesses Parliament will consider once it resumes next week.
Parliament resumes sittings on Tuesday after a two-month Christmas break that has been characterised by unprecedented political intrigues that could polarise the business of the two Houses, and the country.
However, it is the strained relationship between the President and his deputy that has triggered some silent murmurs in the ruling party, threatening its fragile unity amid claims by those allied to the DP that they could rebel if the disrespect toward their man is not discontinued.
Unhappy with the manner people around President Kenyatta have treated Mr Ruto, the DP’s allies are threatening to shoot down the Supplementary Budget should it be brought to the House in the hope it will help pass a message to the President’s men and help ease tension that has been growing since former Jubilee Party chairman and President Kenyatta’s ally, Mr David Murathe, fired the first anti-Ruto salvo on December 27, 2018, in Vihiga County.
The group, which is under strict instructions not to let known their strategies, had taken Mr Murathe’s attacks against the DP in their stride, but the publication of the Executive Order No 1 of 2019 was the straw that broke the proverbial camel’s back, forcing the group to roll up their sleeves ready for battle.
Jubilee has 171 MPs in the National Assembly and it is not clear the ratio of support distributed between the President and his deputy. However, the DP’s support is considered significant only that most, from Mt Kenya region, are fearful of openly offering their support.
Of interest, however, is the fact that the DP controls the leadership of majority in both Houses.
Save for Majority Deputy Whip Irungu Kang’ata, the entire leadership in the Senate is allied to the DP.
They are Ken Lusaka (Speaker), Prof Kithure Kindiki (Deputy Speaker), Mr Kipchumba Murkomen (Majority Leader), Ms Fatuma Dullo (Deputy Majority Leader) and Ms Susan Kihika (Majority Whip).
The same prevails in the National Assembly, save for Jimmy Angwenyi (Deputy Majority Leader) and Cecily Mbarire (Deputy Majority Whip).
The Nasa allied parties have 136 MPs and the majority support the handshake. The other 14 small parties have a total of 31 members, while independent MPs are 11.
Article 223 on the supplementary appropriation states that the government may spend money that has not been approved by Parliament if the amount already authorised is insufficient or if the money comes from the contingency fund.
Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich said the government will reduce expenditure on non-core activities in order to fund key priority areas.
Mr Rotich said the government has adopted a raft of measures to fund its key policy while safeguarding a sustainable debt position.
Among the raft of measures to shore up revenues include expansion of the tax base to informal sector, lotteries, overhaul of the Income Tax Act to remove most of the tax exemptions, rolling out of integrated customs management systems to prevent concealment, undervaluation, mis-declarations and falsifications of import documents. Others include implementation of the regional electronic cargo tracking to tame transit diversion, scaling up ongoing and routine activities such as pre-verification of conformity, benchmarking and auctions.