President Uhuru Kenyatta on Friday signed the Appropriation Bill 2019 into law, paving the way for the utilization of Ksh1. 4 trillion from the Consolidated Fund.
The Bill was presented to the President for approval by Solicitor General Kennedy Ogeto.
The Appropriations Act 2019 allows the Government to access public funds for the next financial year, which kicks in on Monday, July 1st, 2019.
Out of the total sum, the National Government has been allocated Sh415 billion for development expenditure while Ksh679 billion has been earmarked for recurrent expenditure, according to budget estimates presented to Parliament by Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich earlier in June.
Commissions and Independent Offices have been assigned Ksh6.7 Billion and Ksh373 Billion for development and recurrent expenditure respectively.
Present during the signing ceremony were the Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua, Speaker of the National Assembly Justin Muturi, Leader of Majority in the National Assembly Aden Duale, CS Rotich and his Principal Secretary Kamau Thugge as well as the Clerk of the National Assembly Michael Sialai.
On June 20, the President signed Supplementary Appropriation Bill, 2019, regularising the spending of Ksh161 Billion in the current financial year.
He signed it though it had not been appropriated by the National Assembly.
Article 223 of the Constitution stipulates that the government can spend money not appropriated by the National Assembly on emergencies such as droughts, floods and insecurity.
It must, however, seek post-facto-approval from MPs within two months of the expenditure.
It is this provision that the government invoked in crafting the bill, though several MPs, led by Duale expressed fears that the provision could be open to abuse by the Executive.
