New Controller of Budgets report reveals billions of money was spent on personal luxuries
A report by the Controller of Budget (CoB) shows that out of the Sh1.4 trillion sent to State agencies for the last six months, only Sh70.41 billion went to development.
A huge chunk of the money was used for personnel emoluments.
The report shows that various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) were allowed to spend a total of Sh3.29 billion under Article 223 of the Constitution for the first six months of the 2023/24 financial year.
Although the amount was a 0.07 per cent of the gross budget estimates and, therefore, within the 10 per cent ceiling set out in Article 223 of the Constitution, the report shows that some of the money was spent on non-priority items.
Article 223 of the Constitution allows government agencies to access additional funding during the budget implementation process if the amount appropriated for any purpose under the Appropriation Act is insufficient or a need has arisen for expenditure for a purpose for which no amount has been claimed by that Act or money has been withdrawn from the Contingencies Fund.
“The cumulative exchequer issues under Article 223 amounted to Sh3.29 billion, representing 0.2 per cent of the MDAs’ revised net estimates budget of Sh1.82 trillion appropriated by Parliament,” says the report dated February 2014.
It adds: “In line with Article 223 (2) of the Constitution, the consent of Parliament should be obtained or sought within two months after the first withdrawal of the money.
If Parliament is not sitting during the time contemplated in clause (2) or is sitting but adjourns before the approval has been sought, the approval should be sought within two weeks after its next sitting.”
To reflect the change of guard, State House was allocated Sh400 million to cater for the purchase of motor vehicles and another Sh700 million for the construction of a modern presidential dais at the State House Gardens.
A total of Sh16.3 million was allocated for the purchase of East African Community Cabinet Secretary Penina Malonza’s official vehicle and Sh1.6 billion to cater for the facelift of Kenyatta International Convention Center (KICC).
