Uhuru signs into law bill cutting funds to ministries, gov’t departments

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Tuesday signed into law the Supplementary Appropriation Bill No. 2 of 2018, entrenching austerity measures that will guide government expenditure for the financial year ending June 30, 2019.

The law mandates the National Treasury to issue Ksh.47 billion from the Consolidated Fund for the provision of various public services.

The allocations in the new law reflect a significant reduction from what was allocated in the last financial year which is in line with the ongoing austerity measures aimed at cutting down government expenditure.

The State Department of Housing which is steering the affordable housing pillar of the Big 4 development agenda is one of the key beneficiaries of the new law having been allocated Ksh.21 billion.

The State Department of Public Works and the Judiciary were allocated Ksh.1.9 billion and Ksh.1.5 billion respectively.

The Bill signed by President Kenyatta at State House, Nairobi also allocates Ksh.2 billion to the State Department of Tourism for promotion programmes while the State Department of Wildlife has been assigned Ksh.873 million among others.

The Bill was presented to President Kenyatta for signing by National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi.