Treasury CS Henry Rotich is expected to releases his budget for financial year 2018/19 soon. Other than it's release, Kenyans need to know that budgeting is a process with several stages.
The budget planning process in Kenya allows the national and county governments to prioritize the needs of the people. The process also allows them to align the needs of government policy. The Constitution and the Public Finance Management Act serve as the guide for the budget process in Kenya. This process takes place at both the national government and the county governments.
The four major stages of Kenya's budget process are as follows:
1. Formulation
The Executive arms of both the national and the county governments are in charge of the formulation stage. Some of the processes that should take place at this stage include:
Fiscal Strategy Paper for the county governments
Preparing the budget estimates
The public should also participate in the formulation stage through public participation.
2. Approval
Parliament and the 47 County Assemblies are in charge of the approval stage at the national and the county level. Key events here include amending and approving the budget estimates after the national or county Executive tables them before Parliament or the County Assembly.
3. Implementation
The Executive at the national and the county level is in charge of the implementation stage. At this stage, the Executive implements the budget proposals passed by Parliament or the County Assemblies. Oversight also takes place at this stage. It involves reviewing and reporting on those budgeted revenues and expenditures every three months.
4. Audit
This is usually the last stage of the budget process. At this stage, the Kenya National Audit Office (KENAO, or the Office of the Auditor General) audits and reports on the accounts of both the national and the county governments. The audit report should confirm whether (or not) both levels of government spent public money lawfully and in an effective way.