President Kenyatta approves budget for repeat poll

President Uhuru Kenyatta signs Supplementary budget in to law in at State House, Nairobi on October 13, 2017. PHOTO | PSCU

What you need to know:

  • Although Nasa leader Raila Odinga pulled out of the fresh presidential race, plunging the country into an election crisis, Kipkelion East MP Joseph Limo, who chaired a special House committee that processed the supplementary budget, said preparations must go.

President Uhuru Kenyatta has signed into law the Supplementary budget that allocates Sh12 billion for October 26 fresh presidential poll and Sh 25 billion for free secondary education that kicks off in January next year.

The Supplementary Appropriation (No. 3) Act, 2017, also allocates Kshs 6.7 billion for maize subsidy to ensure Kenyans continue to get the staple food at affordable prices.

DROUGHT FUND

Other provisions of the Act includes Sh6.7 billion set aside for the Inua Jamii cash transfer programme that caters for senior citizens aged 70 years and above. The supplementary budget Act also allocates Sh4 billion for security operations as well as Sh3.9 billion for drought mitigation.

Deputy President William Ruto, National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale and Solicitor General Njee Muturi witnessed the signing of the Bill presented to the President for his signature by National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi at State House, Nairobi.

Also present were Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua, Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka, Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich and PS Kamau Thugge among others.

Although Nasa leader Raila Odinga pulled out of the fresh presidential race, plunging the country into an election crisis, Kipkelion East MP Joseph Limo, who chaired a special House committee that processed the supplementary budget, said preparations must go.

The signing comes as the Opposition carried on with protests against the poll agency.

They are pushing for systems and personnel changes at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission before repeat presidential election, including the dropping of Dubai-based ballots printer Al Ghurair and French technology supplier OT-Morpho.

Nasa also wants IEBC CEO Ezra Chiloba and 10 other top officials accused of bungling August 8 poll , which was quashed by the Supreme Court, shown the door.