Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich. [Photo/Daily Nation]
Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich says the Government will reduce expenditure on non-core activities to fund key priority areas.
Rotich explained that to support economic growth; the Government had adopted a raft of measures to fund its key policy while safeguarding a sustainable debt position.
Speaking during the opening of public hearings for the 2018/2019 Medium-Term Budget at the KICC in Nairobi, the CS said allocations to key areas such as universal healthcare, food security, housing; education, energy and social protection will be prioritised.
The raft of measures to shore-up revenues includes expansion of the tax base to the informal sector, lotteries, overhaul of the income tax act to remove most of the tax exemptions, and rolling out of integrated customs management systems to prevent concealment, undervaluation, mis-declarations, and falsification of import documents.
The hearings were attended by Deputy President William Ruto.In the meantime, newly nominated Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Health Peter Tum stated that his priority while in office will be to address the issue of universal healthcare.
While thanking President Uhuru Kenyatta for his nomination, Tum indicated that he will also work on equipping all hospitals and upgrading institutions that offer courses on health.
“The President has indicated that there are four key pillars that he would like us to accomplish and one of them is the aspect of universal health care which is among my priorities while in office,” he stated.
He also expressed his commitment to fully support the current legislators as they deliver on the four key pillars of the Jubilee administration.