PS MEETING WITH THE DEPARTMENTAL COMMITTEE ON FINANCE AND NATIONAL PLANNING TO REVIEW, CONSIDER THE BUDGET ESTIMATES REPORT

The Economic Planning Principal Secretary, Dr. Bonface Makokha appeared before the Parliamentary Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning at Bunge Towers on 19th May, 2026.

The purpose of the meeting was to give the State Department for Economic Planning a chance to present a Program Performance Review Reports for Financial Year 2025/26, draft Programme Based Budget 2026/27 with detailed sub-programmes, Budget Policy Statement (BPS) 2026 extract relevant to the State Department and previous

responses to questions to be reviewed and validated for budget estimates considerations.

This is a standard budget scrutiny session under Article 221 of the Constitution and the Public Finance Management Act 2012.

During the meeting, policy and context priorities for the meeting were anchored on 2026/27 budget and how it supports the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda and the Fourth Medium Term Plan (MTPIV) 2023-2027, Budget Estimates for the State Department, requirements versus development split and breakdown of ceilings, Program-Based Budget, and Performance of each program in the Fiscal year 2026/27 targets.

Also in review were the pending bills and their status for the State Department and the implementing agencies. External financing Donor-funded projects, counterpart funding and absorption rates were also scrutinized during this meeting.

The Departmental Committee took the opportunity to explain to the PS and his team about the Equitable Share, conditional grants,reallocation of budgets and how transfers are calculated.

On his part, PS Makokha made a detailed presentation on the proposed programmes, projects and the respective expenditure allocations especially at the National County Planning Offices. He also included all programmes and projects and activities that were not accommodated within the proposed ceilings,emerging issues,challenges and recommendations.

All eyes are now on the Committee to either: adopt the estimates as it is, recommends adjustments, or defer for more information.Based on the strong case that the PS put up during the meeting ,this report is likely to go to the Budget and Appropriations Committee, then to the House for approval.

Present during the meeting were; the Chair of the Parliamentary Finance and National Planning Committee , who is also a Member of Parliament for Molo Constituency, Hon. Kimani Kuria, the Economic Planning Director General Dr.Masini Ichwara heads of SAGAs among others