Treasury CS Ukur Yatani on Thursday presented Kenya’s Sh2.7 trillion national budget for the 2020/2021 financial year.
The executive will receive a total of Sh1.83 trillion to enhance service delivery and servicing of government projects. A total of Sh369.9 billion has been allocated to the 47 counties to support devolution.
The government has proposed Sh10 billion for the Kazi Mtaani program under which 200,000 youths from across the country will get temporary jobs to clean towns.
A further Sh712 million has been allocated to SME’s for manufacturing while a Sh3 billion credit guarantee scheme has been proposed to help in unlocking finances for SMEs.
Sh300 million has been set aside to facilitate the training and equipping of ICT interns to oversee online learning during the Covid-19 pandemic while Sh3 billion has been proposed to help in the restructuring of the tourism sector, which has been hard-hit by the pandemic.
In addition, the Treasury has set aside Sh13.1 billion for pending bills meant for contractors, suppliers, and manufacturers.
A further Sh7.4 billion will go towards improving education by facilitating the hiring of 10,000 teachers, Sh2.1 billion for construction of classrooms, and Sh1.9 billion for acquisition 250,000 locally made desks.
Sh700 million has been proposed for capitation of infrastructure in arid and semi-arid lands (Asals) while Sh1.5 billion has been allocated to the flower and the horticulture industry to keep them afloat amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
The government has also set aside Sh4.1 billion to support the free maternity program and Sh15.1 billion to the housing development program.
The health sector will get Sh111.7 billion to enhance healthcare stability while Sh18.3 billion has been allocated towards manufacturing and local industrial production.
Sh18.1 billion has been spared for the standard gauge railway (SGR) phase two program, Sh6.1 billion for the LAPPSET project, and Sh5.6 billion for the Mombasa development project.
The national security agencies have been allocated Sh167.9 billion to secure the nation. Sh59.4 billion has been set aside for the free day secondary school education program and a further Sh41 billion for the National Government Development fund.
The Women Enterprise Fund will get Sh150 million, Sh17.6 billion will go towards the cash transfers to the elderly while Sh400 million has been allocated to persons living with disabilities welfare kitty.
Still wrapped in the…
Still wrapped in the colonial traditions of presenting budget. Throw away the briefcase. It is analogue and part of the systemic racism being fought in the US.