- The President said the budget includes funding for other projects including the last mile electricity connectivity.
- Ruto said the MPs will fail Kenyans if they do not pass the 2024/25 national budget.
Image: WILLIAM RUTO/X
President William Ruto has urged MPs to pass the 2024/25 national budget, saying several road projects that stalled during the previous administration have been factored in.
Speaking during the Akorino Church National Conference in Nakuru on Sunday, the President told MPs not to make the mistake of shooting down the budget as it will affect the planned revival of the roads.
"We had some many road projects that we started before 2021 but stalled because of lack of money. Last year we said we need to sort the economic mess,'' he said.
Ruto insisted that the county's economy is now stable after spending nearly 20 months reconstructing the government.
"I want to ask MP, the issues are now coming to you in Parliament help us because in that budget we have allocated money for all roads in the country that stalled," Ruto said.
"All the roads that stalled like the Mau Mau Road and many others here in Naruku are this budget; we want to revive them using this budget.''
The President also told Kenyans that in the budget are billions of shillings allocated for the last mile electricity connectivity including Sh2 billion to light up some 30,000 homes in Nakuru County.
''Gikaria(MP David Gikaria) has told me he wants 3 kilometres of tarmac, but I will add that to 10 Kilometres, I have already planned and the Transport Committee chairman George Kariuki will tell you that we have a plan ready, your work is to lobby MPs to pass the budget so that I begin work; If lazy around and the budget is shot down, then don't come to ask me about that,'' Ruto said.
The National Assembly Budget and Appropriations Committee last week concluded hearings and tabled its report on the 2024/25 national budget estimates.
MPs are expected to debate and approve the report before the National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Njuguna Ndung'u officially reads the budget this month.
Some MPs have threatened to shoot down the Finance Bill, 2024 which outlines various revenue-raising measures to finance the budget.
The Bill must first be approved by the National Assembly before the budget estimates are officially submitted in the house by the CS this month.
The president is expected to meet MPs allied to his Kenya Kwanza coalition this week to lobby them to pass the Bill ahead of the budget reading.