Uhuru, Ruto order Treasury to rewrite budget

President-elect Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto have asked the Treasury to rework the current budget to ensure that the campaign promises they made in the run-up to the March 4 General Election are delivered.

Addressing journalists in his office in Nairobi, Finance Minister Njeru Githae said the two principals of the Jubilee coalition have ordered him to ensure that free maternal health care, free milk to primary school children, and free access to government health centres are implemented “immediately”.

“They told me in no uncertain terms that they’d like whatever promise they gave while on the campaign trail to be fulfilled,” said Mr Githae.

The Minister said officials at the Treasury are working on a fresh supplementary budget to be presented to Parliament as soon as it reconvenes on April 16, so that, these promises take effect as soon as Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto settle down at the helm of the government.

One supplementary budget has already been approved and if a fresh one comes, it will be the first time, in decades, that two supplementary budgets will be approved within one financial year.

“They said they promises they gave were genuine. They told me that they believe in this manifesto; that it will transform this country; and that it must be implemented without delay,” said Mr Githae.

The Finance minister said the promise for free laptops for the primary school kids will have to wait, but even so, it will be implemented in phases.

“We are going to have a pilot (project) for the laptops to primary school children…but we’re looking at creative ways. Instead of buying the laptops, why can’t we assemble them here,” he added.

He said the free maternal healthcare can be implemented without delay and added that free access to government clinics could also be rolled out quickly.

“We want to scrap the Sh20 or Sh50 that people pay to access government dispensaries and clinics. We want to make that free. The economists and officers here are looking at the Treasury to see which other projects in the Jubilee manifesto we can implement immediately and which ones should wait for the next financial year… the President-elect and his deputy are serious,” said Mr Githae.

The Jubilee manifesto promises to create a million new jobs and to raise the economic growth to 10 per cent within the first two years.

“We’re depending on counties to spur the economic growth in this country, and to create a million new jobs. As the Treasury we will give the counties money. We’re very clear in our minds that without adequate funding, there will be no devolution. We will fund the counties and fund the counties well. It is in our interest as the Treasury,” said Mr Githae.

It wants a Kenya Development Bank established to prop up the private players.

It says that once in power, where they will be on April 9, it will reduce business taxes and encourage enterprise zones within every county. Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto promised to boost war against counterfeits apart from reducing bureaucracy for business.

Jubilee wants to redefine the foreign policy to focus on trade and bilateral relations and facilitate annual meetings between the county governors and ambassadors to maximise trade opportunities.

Youths will also be given tax holidays and preference in government procurement while benefiting from industrial parks established in the counties. It promises tax breaks to firms providing youth apprenticeship.

Further spending is expected once the parties move to increase the number of policemen and teachers. Apart from better equipping the policemen, it wants to increase the ratio of policemen from the current 1:1,150 to 1:800.