On the third day of the Departmental Committee of Finance and Planning retreat, the lawmakers met three agencies under their purview, over their Budget Estimates.
The Kenya Vision 2030 Secretariat, whose mandate is to generate a long-term development blueprint for the country, met Hon. Members during the morning session.
Among the challenges they cited was the issue of the funding gap which they attributed to the delay in preparation and dissemination of programs. Members sought to know if the Secretariat has a vision to engage donors and if there was political interference towards the implementation of Vision 2030.
Members led by Hon. Adipo told the agency that food security is what the vision should have emphasized first among their many projects. He was seconded by Hon. Joseph Oyula. On his part, Hon. Julius Rutto wanted a proper clarification as to what percentage had the projects been covered since the Board had only 7 years left towards the implementation of the mission.
The Chairperson of the Committee, Hon. Kuria Kimani enquired how the transition of programs has been between different Governments agencies in line with the manifestos.
The Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis(KIPPRA) whose mandate is policy research and analysis also appeared before the Committee. Hon. David Mboni stressed on the importance of the institute to explore development of an office complex to reduce expenditure of office rent while Hon. Joseph Munyoro urged the institute to enhance capacity development of economists deployed into Ministries, Departments and Agencies under the Central Project Planning and Monitoring Units which coordinate planning functions.
On his part, Hon. Paul Biego together with Hon. Umul Kheir Kassim,recommended that the institute pursues a demand-driven policy research and analysis to enhance its Appropriation in Aid.
During the afternoon session, the New Partnership for Africa’s Development /Africa Peer Review Mechanism NEPAD/APRM Kenya Secretariat met with the Committee headed by the Chief Executive Office, Amb. Dr. Samori Okwiya who elaborated that they are charged with the role of undertaking peer review of programs and commitments acceded to by the Heads of Governments within the African Union framework.
Hon. George Sunkuyia and Hon. Joseph Makilap called on the secretariat to consider specialized strategy focusing on the common programs targeting cross-cutting issues such as climate change and disability mainstreaming into planning strategies.
The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) also presented their Budget Estimates and the Bureaus’s unbundled mandate to the Committee.
Hon. (Dr.) John Ariko was particularly concerned with the use of technology for collection of population data especially in pastoralist communities for accuracy. The working relations of the Bureau with other State agencies came into sharp focus from the Members. They also sought to how their data is interpreted for use in the Government’s planning.
The presentations are geared towards bidding for budgetary allocation in view of the Budget Estimates tabled in the National Assembly pursuant to the provisions of Section 37 of the Public Finance Management Act, 2012.
