Sh20 Billion Sought to Meet Budget Shortfall In Kenya

By Eddyson Lugangwa Posted 19 April 2006 @ 02:39 pm EET     Print     Reprint     E-Mail     Comments

Nairobi (IBTimes.com) - The Government wants Parliament to allow it to withdraw Sh20 billion from the Consolidated Fund to meet its budget shortfall for the financial year ending June.

Supplementary Estimates for Sh12 billion for the Recurrent Expenditure and Sh8 billion for the Development Expenditure for the 2005/6 financial year were laid before the House by Finance minister Amos Kimunya. Mr Kimunya said the President had given consent to the motion.

At the same time, MPs accused the Government of selectively disarming feuding communities in the Rift Valley and North Eastern provinces. As a result, conflicts in the region were escalating instead of ending, the MPs said.

Mr Moses Cheboi (Kuresoi, Kanu) said the disarmament of communities was not achieving any good, and the Government should instead consider arming all the communities. Mr Simeon Lesirma (Samburu West, Kanu) said disarmament in Samburu District was ineffective because it had been done selectively.

The MP said the exercise would only succeed if applied to all communities, and the country's borders patrolled continuously. Mr William ole Ntimama (Narok North, Narc) said there was general insecurity in the country and called on the Government to act fast to arrest the situation.