The Chairperson of the National Assembly’s Finance and National Planning Committee, Hon. (CPA) Francis Kuria Kimani, has called for intensified scrutiny of Budget Estimates, urging stakeholders to give them the same level of attention as the Finance Bill.
Speaking during a public consultation on the Finance Bill 2025 and the Virtual Asset Service Providers Bill 2025, Hon. Kimani emphasized that while the Finance Bill focuses on revenue-raising measures, equal attention must be paid to how those funds are allocated in the Budget Estimates, which are reviewed by the Budget and Appropriations Committee.
“I want to encourage you to also spend some time to review the Budget Estimates whenever the Budget and Appropriations Committee calls for public hearings. Your calls for prudent appropriation of public resources ought to start from our country’s spending wish-list,” said the Molo MP.Hon. Kimani noted that while public hearings for both the Finance and Budget Committees were being held concurrently, there was a noticeable lack of stakeholder engagement in discussions surrounding the Budget Estimates.
The appeal came as stakeholders, including Amnesty International and the Okoa Uchumi Coalition, raised concerns about Kenya’s growing debt burden and the need for more sustainable fiscal policies.
Amnesty International Kenya’s Executive Director, Mr. Irungu Houghton, highlighted that debt repayments are now the single largest budget item, projected at KES 996 billion for the 2024/25 fiscal year. He warned that this trend jeopardizes public service delivery and human rights.
“There has been a 335% increase in debt since 2014, posing a threat to economic stability and human rights,” Houghton stated. He urged the government to adopt equitable, rights-based tax policies that do not disproportionately affect vulnerable populations.The Okoa Uchumi Coalition echoed similar sentiments, criticizing the government’s borrowing for recurrent expenditure and what it termed as unrealistic revenue projections. Representing the coalition, Convenor Diana Gichengo called for fiscal discipline through better expenditure management rather than increased taxation.
“The current debt levels and pending bills pose a threat to fiscal sustainability. Our fiscal challenges stem more from misallocated spending than revenue shortfalls,” she said.
Many stakeholders recommended aligning revenue measures with the National Tax Policy and the Medium-Term Revenue Strategy (MTRS) to create a stable and predictable tax environment. They also called for capping the top Pay As You Earn (PAYE) tax rate at 30%, arguing that higher rates encourage tax avoidance, reduce disposable income, and undermine investment in small businesses.
In closing, Hon. Kimani reaffirmed the Committee’s commitment to inclusive legislative processes and assured stakeholders that their input would inform the Committee’s report to Parliament.
“This is not an exercise in futility. We value your contributions and will consider all views presented during these sessions,” he assured.The Committee is set to conclude its Nairobi engagements and will launch a countrywide public hearing tour across 10 counties starting tomorrow. Hearings will take place in Nandi, Migori, Trans-Nzoia, Busia, Kiambu, Machakos, Kwale, Kilifi, and Mombasa, continuing after the Madaraka Day break.
