Via Wanjohi Githae Wage Bill Debate;contextualizing the figures. I am opposed to calls for a referendum and retrenchments. Those calling for referendum want the number of elected officials reduced, that is reduce MPs etc. Thats not the viable route for Kenya. Lets look at the figures. In the 2013/14 financial year the Treasury presented sh 1.3 trillion budget. Lets break down the figures. The Legislature (National assembly and Senate) were allocated 24 billion. The judiciary was allocated sh16 billion. The County Governments (Devolution ) was allocated sh 210 billion. Simple maths will show that Devolution and two arms of government (Legislature and Judiciary) took sh 250 million, the rest was left with the executive. Now the national government was left with 1.275 Trillion for its budget. A referendum will need at least sh 10 billion to organize, not forgetting the politics of setting up the question(s), since it will not be a simple Yes or No referendum question. Voter registration will also be undertaken basically all government energy will be to a venture that will save the government what sh5 billion in the long run? Dont forget the high voltage politics that go with it. Not viable. The details of the sh1.275 budget the national executive gobbles up should be highlighted. Deputy President is on record saying that sh 300 billion are set aside for Hospitality, That is foreign travels, seminars and buying flowers etc in government offices. That is where the focus should be. Who needs flowers in this Continent really?? The other bit is in security, Billions of shillings are never audited in military, police and NIS, these institutions are given blank Cheques to do as they wish. Mulika huko. If you retrench a single person the ripple effects are major. He or she has a family and rural dependents. If you say retrench 10,000 people the ripple effect will be over a million people. Thats bad politics. Ask Moi. The parastatal reforms ordered by President Kenyatta will see obsolete parastatals that are given government allocations each year get disbanded. It is estimated that over sh 20 billions will be saved when these reforms are through and this money will go to development. There is one called National Steering committee against Corruption, its aim is to conduct civic education on dangers of corruption, puuhlize, who needs education that corruption is bad. Moreover KRA insiders will tell you they just collect 55 per cent of taxes of their potential. Widen tax base, perhaps by bringing new leadership at Times Tower.
Posted on: Wed, 12 Mar 2014 07:03:28 +0000