President William Ruto has called upon Members of Parliament to approve the 2024/25 national budget, emphasizing the inclusion of various road projects that had previously halted. Addressing the Akorino Church National Conference in Nakuru, Ruto urged MPs to avoid rejecting the budget, highlighting the detrimental impact it would have on the planned revitalization of road infrastructure.
“We had some many road projects that we started before 2021 but stalled because of lack of money. Last year we said we need to sort the economic mess,” he said.
Ruto insisted that the county’s economy is now stable after spending nearly 20 months reconstructing the government.
“I want to ask MP, the issues are now coming to you in Parliament help us because in that budget we have allocated money for all roads in the country that stalled,” Ruto said.
“All the roads that stalled like the Mau Mau Road and many others here in Naruku are this budget; we want to revive them using this budget.”
The President also told Kenyans that in the budget are billions of shillings allocated for the last mile electricity connectivity including Sh2 billion to light up some 30,000 homes in Nakuru County.
”Gikaria(MP David Gikaria) has told me he wants 3 kilometres of tarmac, but I will add that to 10 Kilometres, I have already planned and the Transport Committee chairman George Kariuki will tell you that we have a plan ready, your work is to lobby MPs to pass the budget so that I begin work; If lazy around and the budget is shot down, then don’t come to ask me about that,” Ruto said.
The National Assembly Budget and Appropriations Committee recently concluded hearings and submitted its report on the 2024/25 national budget estimates. MPs are now tasked with debating and approving the report before National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Njuguna Ndung’u officially presents the budget later this month.
However, there are concerns as some MPs have threatened to reject the Finance Bill, 2024, which outlines revenue-raising measures to finance the budget. This bill must receive approval from the National Assembly before the budget estimates are officially presented.
To garner support, the president plans to meet with MPs aligned with his Kenya Kwanza coalition this week to lobby for the passage of the bill before the budget reading.
