THE ROLE OF AN MP IN THE BUDGET-MAKING PROCESS.

There is a total of 349 Members of Parliament (MPs) in Kenya’s National Assembly at one given time. Since 2010, the national assembly has progressively increased its role in the approval and oversight of the Kenyan budget. Article 95 of the constitution sets out the functions of the National Assembly in the budget-making process as:

• Determining the allocation of national revenue between national and county governments
• Approving funds for expenditure by the national government and other national organs, and
• Exercising oversight over national revenue and its expenditure.

This makes the MP an important stakeholder in the budgeting process as they are part of the bridge through which funds flow from the national government to the county governments. A Member of Parliament has immense responsibilities when it comes to the budgeting process and the shocks of their decisions can be felt at the national economic level. The role of a member of parliament in the budget making process can be summarized in four broad topics: Budget policy statement, Government borrowing and repayments, revenue sharing, and oversight of the budget. Below is a discussion of these roles and why you need to elect an MP that understands these roles to the core.

1)??Budget Policy Statement.

The Budget Policy Statement is arguably the most important budget document in the annual budget cycle, and it is produced by the National Government. It is tabled in Parliament no later than February 15 and should be made available to the public within seven days after its’ tabling. Parliament then has until February 28 to approve the BPS. The MP participates in the consideration and approval of the Budget Policy Statement (BPS) during the consideration of reports of the budget policy statement by the Budget and Appropriations Committee. This allows the MP to review the amendments and choose to approve the Budget Policy Statement (BPS) with or without the amendments. The BPS sets out the broad strategic priorities and the policy goals that will guide the national and county governments in preparing their budgets. When the right MP is representing you, the BPS will be designed to set policy goals that will drive your constituency forward and the county at large. Another benefit of choosing the right MP is that he/she when deemed fit, can get to participate in this process in other ways through the Departmental Committees and Budget and Appropriations Committee, hence he/she will have more influence over the Budget Policy Statement.

2)??Government Borrowing & Repayments.

The MP gets to participate in considering and approving the planned government borrowing & repayment. This is done during consideration of reports on the Medium-Term Debt Strategy by the whole House. An economically conscious MP will understand that borrowing funds can help the country grow faster and also cushion the impact of economic disruptions, however, accumulating debt beyond what the country can service will result in a debt crisis with potentially huge economic and social costs. During this election time, is your preferred candidate aware of this?

3)??Revenue Sharing.

The MP through his role in the National Assembly participates in considering and approving revenue sharing between different levels of government, i.e., the National Government and the County Governments. This means that your area MP gets to participate in deciding what your county gets from the National revenue and which will in turn have an impact on what amount of funds you get at the constituency level. This snowballing effect will also impact the priority projects that you want to be implemented in your constituency. When enough funds are allocated to your county, the county if it uses the funds appropriately, funds the planned projects at the constituency level which will positively impact your life.

4)??Oversight.

This is one of the most important roles of MPs in the Budget making process. This is because, an MP can perform all the above roles correctly, but without keeping an eye on what’s going on with the funds, the common mwananchi might end up getting less than what they deserve. Regular or routine oversight of government’s expenditure, programs and policies, budget absorption rates, and consideration of audit reports, will help in ensuring the funds are used appropriately and you are getting the services that you need and were budgeted for.?This can only be possible if the MP is a person of integrity and can be able to stand against corrupt people that are enemies of progress. When you are choosing your next MP, Integrity should be a non-negotiable value because choosing otherwise will come back and bite you.

In conclusion, the MP is an important player not only in the budget but also in the economy of the whole country. Having the right MPs in the office will get us better Budget Policy Statements, proportional debts that we need as a country, fairness in revenue sharing, and above all accountability from the National and County governments concerning their expenditure. During this election time, I challenge you to look past the promises and focus on the values and strategies of the aspirants that will help your constituency in the next five years.