Kenyans have less than two months to submit proposals to develop the budget for the next financial year.
National Treasury Principal Secretary Kamau Thugge, in a notice, has given the public until January 15 to forward proposals on taxation for consideration.
The notice said all written memoranda on the 2019-20 budget should be based on President Uhuru Kenyatta's Big Four agenda.
“The proposals submitted should be on measures that will support realization of the Big Four priorities aimed at accelerating industrialization and transforming the lives of all Kenyans in addition to enhancing macroeconomic stability,” Thugge says.
In the current 2018-19 budget worth Sh3 trillion, the Jubilee administration allocated Sh43.1 billion to universal healthcare, Sh6.5 billion to affordable and decent housing, Sh10.5 billion to manufacturing while Sh60.4 billion for food security programmes.
“The proposals should target to support manufacturing sector through value addition, enhance food security and nutrition to Kenyans as well as provide universal health coverage and affordable housing to all Kenyans,” Thugge says.
Some of measures to spur economic growth National Treasury expects from Kenyans include regulations on reforms, revenue administration, among others.
“The submissions should be specific on the proposed policy or change to law, supported by a statement on the issue to be addressed and the justification,” Thugge says.
Treasury's call for proposals from the public in developing the next financial year budget is as per Article 201 of the 2010 Constitution which provides for openness, transparency and public participation in the financial issues.
The public notice comes as various state departmental heads are required to submit their budget proposals to Treasury heads before November 30 for consideration.
Treasury has indicated that next year's budget will consider initiatives that seek to “confront perennial challenges” of unemployment, poverty and inequality that the country continue to face.
A circular dated August 20 to all cabinet secretaries, their principal secretaries and accounting officers in parastatals demanded that they ensure “strictly adherence” to the government's priority areas for the 2019-20 budget.
“Accounting officers are reminded that the Sector Working Groups are the only recognized avenue for bidding for resources. No spending proposal will be factored in the budget unless approved and considered withing the Sector working Groups,” Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich said.
Rotich also told county executive members on Finance to ensure their budgets are “customized and developed” during preparations to meet budget requirements of their respective counties.
The government plans to put develop a policy to curb overspending that has led to a huge deficit in the budget and the growing public debt in the next financial year.
The government, thus, expects cut recurrent expenditure to an average of 14.1 percent of the gross domestic product in the medium from 15.9 percent.