Budget delay feared in MPs salary push

PHOTO | FILE There is anxiety that MPs could stall the Budget process in their demand for higher pay.

The Budget making process could suffer a blow if MPs decide to frustrate the process in their push for a reinstatement of the salaries paid to 10th Parliament legislators.

There is anxiety that MPs could stall the Budget process in their demand for higher pay, by deliberately delaying the appointment of the Cabinet planned for this week.

The Constitution stipulates that only the Cabinet secretary for Finance can present the Budget estimates of government revenue and expenditure to Parliament for review and approval.

The Cabinet secretary is required to take into account resolutions passed by Parliament after scrutiny in finalising the Budget for the relevant financial year.

The Cabinet secretary has a constitutional deadline of April 30 to present the 2013/2014 financial year estimates to the Parliamentary Committee on Budget and Appropriation, which would then present the estimates to Parliament for scrutiny.

The 11th Parliament MPs are said to be considering a “go slow” of sorts to push for the reinstatement of the salaries paid to their former counterparts, which would include crippling government operations.

They have allegedly threatened to frustrate the Budget process as one of their options as well as the appointment of Cabinet secretaries.

Unlike in the past, the Finance Cabinet secretary can no longer present the estimates to a sitting in the Chamber, since he is not a member of the House.

However, last week, the newly elected National Assembly members had expressed hope that the Budget process would still be on course with Suba’s Mr John Mbadi saying: “To salvage the situation and avoid a crisis, we need the secretary to deliver to Parliament estimates by or before April 30.”