What are the fundamental values underlying our national policy? Does #BudgetKE2018 capture people's views of the socio-economic state of the nation?
What if the budget was initiated, developed and approved by Parliament? Parliament needs to be more involved in setting these budget priorities since eventually it is the constituents who bear the brunt thereof. #BudgetKE2018
Looking into economic priorities as reflected in the #BudgetKE2018 shouldn't MPs have access to relevant information for debate, eg gender-disaggregated data allowing them to proceed to a gender analysis of the budget? The budget should include gender-disaggregated data.
For meaningful contribution by MPs, parliamentary programming could be revised to include separate debates&votes on each appropriation,as well as a full debate and examination of each appropriation based on audited and tabled annual reports of each department.
The budget should not be an event but a process, developing throughout the year if Parliament is to perform its function of overseeing the Executive and overseeing it's implementation.
The way in which money is spent should be fully documented at all stages with audited presentation of accounts to Parliament and sanctions applied in case of corruption and mismanagement of State resources by officials and the political body.
Through questions and motions, Parliament could in be used to increase transparency in the entire budget process. Affiliation to the majority party should not prevent MPs from looking at the budget critically in the interests of the electorate.
Govt's economic strategies, policies and budgetary options should be debated by Parliament long before the budget is drawn up. Engendering the budget is the best way of meeting the aspirations and needs of the majority, emphasis being on uplifting disadvantaged groups.
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