The National Assembly Majority Leader Amos Kimunya has told-off Members of parliament who he alleged were in efforts geared towards thwarting the 2022/2023 budget-making process.
Kimunya, alongside former Water Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki at a rally in Ol joro Orok, Nyandarua County while popularising the Jubilee Party said the MPs wanted to compromise government effort towards service delivery.
He said he will make sure service delivery to Kenyan citizens continues till the end of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s tenure.
On February 18, Deputy President William Ruto cautioned the government against subjecting the country to more debt in the 2022-2023 budget.
DP Ruto wants the National Treasury to focus on the government’s expenditure for the year based on its budgetary capability without borrowing more in the name of accomplishing projects.
Speaking during a rally of the Kenya Kwanza alliance in Kiambu County, the DP said Kenya had borrowed beyond its ability to repay and further debt would be a burden to ordinary Kenyans.
“Wale walio treasury wasijaribu kuongezea madeni kwa sababu tunalipa karibu trillion moja kila mwezi, ile madeni iko imetosha. Tunataka tupange budget kulingana na ile pesa tuko nayo,” Ruto said.
While referring to the recent proposal by his United Democratic Alliance (UDA) allied MPs to amend the budget proposals, DP Ruto said the move was centred on improving the lives of ordinary Kenyans.
In the proposal tabled by Kikuyu lawmaker Kimani Ichungwa, the MP wants Ksh.50 billion slashed from the office of the President, Interior and Defence ministries and added to the Ministry of Industrialization, Trade, and Enterprise to support the Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the country.
The amendment also sought to increase county allocation from Ksh.370 billion to Ksh.495 billion which is about 35 per cent as the BBI stipulated.
Kimunya responded to the UDA faction when he drummed support for the president noting there were numerous infrastructural developments the Jubilee government was undertaking, thus prudent to ensure they continue even after President Kenyatta hands over the mantle to the next leader.
They observed the head of state was focused on rejuvenating the party and clear the notion that it was “dead”, and that Jubilee was ready to join other political parties under the Azimio La Umoja outfit to form the next government after the August 9 2022 general election.
The rally was at the same time marred by supremacy battles and sharp divisions between Kariuki and Nyandarua Governor Francis Kimemia with each trying to outsmart the other.
Although Kimemia was not present in the Ol joro orok rally, Kariuki seemed to accuse him of trying to sabotage the meeting by sending people to boo her.
A section of the residents left the rally when Kariuki rose to address the rally.
