DEVELOPMENT projects and government salaries for the second half of the year could be frozen if Parliament makes good on its threat to delay or throw out the appropriations Bill, Treasury has said.
Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta said yesterday Treasury will table the bill when Parliament resumes duty on November 10 but it will be up to MPs to approve it.
MPs have threatened to shoot down the bill to pro-test against the re-appointment of Justice Aaron Ring-era as Director of the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission. But Uhuru said the issue should be dealt with in isolation without forcing government operations to shut down.
"As we are dealing with the situation that does not mean the whole country has to grind to a halt," Uhuru said. "The government is currently operating on the vote on account."
Uhuru was speaking after signing exchange notes with the Japanese government for a Sh830 million non-project aid.
The vote on account allows government to spend 50 per cent of its tabled budget for the year with the rest being subjected to parliamentary vote through the Appropriations Bill.
"Once the 50 per cent is exhausted, that is that. It means that development programmes will have to be stopped, salaries will have to be stopped," the minister added.
Government is this year working with a Sh860 billion budget meaning so far it is working with about Sh400 billion. Part of the money is yet to be raised through government borrowing programmes.
Uhuru however asked Parliament to pass the Appropriations Bill to allow for government to implement stimulus programmes.
Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta said yesterday Treasury will table the bill when Parliament resumes duty on November 10 but it will be up to MPs to approve it.
MPs have threatened to shoot down the bill to pro-test against the re-appointment of Justice Aaron Ring-era as Director of the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission. But Uhuru said the issue should be dealt with in isolation without forcing government operations to shut down.
"As we are dealing with the situation that does not mean the whole country has to grind to a halt," Uhuru said. "The government is currently operating on the vote on account."
Uhuru was speaking after signing exchange notes with the Japanese government for a Sh830 million non-project aid.
The vote on account allows government to spend 50 per cent of its tabled budget for the year with the rest being subjected to parliamentary vote through the Appropriations Bill.
"Once the 50 per cent is exhausted, that is that. It means that development programmes will have to be stopped, salaries will have to be stopped," the minister added.
Government is this year working with a Sh860 billion budget meaning so far it is working with about Sh400 billion. Part of the money is yet to be raised through government borrowing programmes.
Uhuru however asked Parliament to pass the Appropriations Bill to allow for government to implement stimulus programmes.
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