COVID-19 pandemic has seen legislators come up with a supplementary budget to be tabled to the National Assembly for debate and approval on 22nd April 2020. Of the total gross supplementary budget worth Ksh 2,812.8 billion, the national treasury is proposing a 9.7 billion slash to 2,803.1 billion.
In the proposed allocations, the Ministry of Health will be walking away with a few billion less in their Kitty as the National Treasury proposes a 10.6 per cent decline in the supplementary budget allocation for the Ministry of Health to Ksh 103.4 billion from 115.6 billion. The decision to reduce the amount was informed by a drastic decline in the allocation of the Preventive, Promotive and Reproductive Maternal Neo-natal Child & Adolescent Health (RMNCAH) by a whooping by 48.8 per cent to Ksh 6.3 billion from Ksh 12.3 billion.
In the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Health has been channelling lots of its resources towards flattening the curve. However, the 10.6 per cent slash will not affect its financial muscle, as they will be given an extra 3.9 billion for the recruitment of health workers and to fund the proposed COVID-19 Emergency Response Project.
According to the budget books, as published by the National Treasury, the increase is mainly attributable to payment of outstanding pending bills which is in line with the Government’s plan of paying pending bills to suppliers and quickly process tax refunds for firms to support the economy in the face of the coronavirus crisis.
Kenya has been receiving external help from financial giants and world billionaires like Jack Ma to help combat COVID-19. The United Nations listed Kenya among those countries eligible for financial support from COVID-19 global fund.
