National Assembly Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi has laughed off plans by the Executive to slash money allocated to counties as part of the budget reduction measures.
President William Ruto signed into law the Appropriations Bill, 2024 after he rejected the Finance Bill, 2024 and returned it to Parliament with a recommendation to delete the clauses.
President Ruto also referred the County Allocation and Revenue Bill, which was based on expected revenues from the rejected Finance Bill, back to Parliament for reduction accordingly.
The Bill sets how both the National and devolved units share national revenue.
The President said the Finance Bill, 2024 was expected to generate Sh346 billion, and the money will now be borne by all levels of government.
“With respect to the National Government, the reduction will be borne by the Executive, the Legislature, the Judiciary, and our constitutional commissions,” he noted.
However, Wandayi said the government should not reduce the money allocated to counties as part of the budget rationalisation programme.
"They can remove everything else but they should not touch the money that has been passed and approved for the counties, the Sh 416 billion,'' Wandayi said.
''They should bring a supplementary budget that removes allocations to offices like the First Lady, Second Lady and such offices.''
Ruto had explained that the Treasury will now be required to prepare a supplementary estimate that would reduce government expenditure by the amount of revenue that was expected to be generated by the rejected Finance Bill, 2024.
