Kiharu Member of Parliament Ndindi Nyoro had assured Kenyans that the 2023-24 budget will spur the economy.
Nyoro who was speaking at St Mary's Catholic Church said the budget will empower small businesses and uplift farmers in the spirit of the bottom-up economic model.
Out of the Sh3.679 trillion budget, he said, an allocation has been made to enable the Public Service Commission to hire 8,000 college and university graduates as interns.
The programme will see the interns provided with a chance to gain experience in various government agencies and departments while earning a monthly stipend of Sh25,000 as they volunteer their services.
Nyoro reiterated that the education sector has been allocated Sh630 billion while Higher Education Loans Board will get Sh30 billion.
About Sh25.5 billion will go towards for Junior Secondary Schools to lessen parents’ burden as the next cohort of learners joins next January.
About Sh250 billion will go into roads and will ensure stalled road projects are completed while Sh141 billion will go towards health.
“Boosting health is maintaining the labour force which is the most priced factor of production,” he said.
The MP said funds have also been allocated for the building of aggregation centres across all counties that will help preserve agricultural produce and enhance post-harvest management.
The Kiharu MP said funds have been allocated for the establishment of six industrial parks in the country.
The parks that have been gazetted as economic promotion zones will be built in Murang’a, Kirinyaga, Nakuru, Busia, Eldoret and Kwale counties.
“This is a budget for the people of Kenya. A budget to spur the economy and we are hopeful that as we go on that the allocations will have a robust impact on the economy,” he said.
He appealed to the political leaders allied with the opposition to present their proposals on the Finance Bill 2023 in the National Assembly instead of engaging in protests.
“Last week, we saw them walk out of Parliament which is their democratic right. We run an open government and we hope to have a robust opposition and especially when they are offering alternatives to the proposals we put on the table,” the MP said.
As people’s representatives, Nyoro said MPS need to use the floor of the House for the reason why they are paid by taxpayers.
“The best way to make the changes they want to make is to contribute in the third reading on Tuesday and Wednesday and propose any changes wish,” he said.
“We go there and debate. Where we need changes, we propose them. Where we have numbers, we carry them. We’re not making a Finance Bill or budget for one side of the political divide, we are making them for all Kenyans and any voice is respected.”
