The National Assembly has approved an allocation of Sh49.488 billion to Parliament in the 2025/26 financial year.
The details are contained in the Budget Policy Statement (BPS) for the financial year 2025/2026, which MPs approved on Wednesday afternoon.
The approval of the BPS, a crucial legal document that sets the budget ceilings for various government arms, agencies, and departments, set the total government expenditure at Sh2.523 trillion.
This amount is down by Sh106.77 billion compared to the BPS initially tabled in the House
The approved BPs will now guide the National Treasury in the preparation of the 2025/26 budget estimates that will be tabled in the National Assembly by April.
In the BPS, MPs approved an allocation of Sh2.447 trillion to the Executive, with specific provisions for the Office of the Auditor General at Sh8.652 billion.
While Parliament increased its ceiling by Sh7 billion, MPs approved an increase of Sh1 billion for the Judiciary, setting the spending limit at Sh26.749 billion.
County governments allocated an equitable share allocation of Sh405.069 billion while the Equalization Fund, designed to address regional disparities, will receive Sh7.852 billion.
The allocation is anchored on the latest audited revenues, with an additional Sh2.747 billion allocated to clear arrears.
County Government Additional Allocations were approved at Sh69.8 billion, which will form the basis for the County Government Additional Allocations Bill.
The House also adopted a comprehensive set of non-financial recommendations aimed at enhancing governance and efficiency across various sectors.
These recommendations, categorised into general and sector-specific directives, mandate various government entities to submit detailed reports and action plans within specified timelines.
Key sectoral recommendations include a directive to the National Treasury to submit a comprehensive report on the implementation of the digitized pension system and a plan to clear pension arrears by June 30, 2025.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has been tasked by lawmakers to provide a detailed report on pending bills by April 30, 2025.
Noting the lack of public awareness of the benefits of the Social Health Insurance Fund, the Social Health Authority is expected to launch a nationwide communication campaign by April 30, 2025, to enhance public awareness of the scheme.
Additionally, the National Treasury is to present a report on engagements with MDAs regarding outstanding NHIF debts and develop a repayment plan.
The National Treasury has also been directed to prioritise increased budgetary allocations for Universal Health Coverage (UHC) programs.
