Treasury to present 2022/23 budget statement on April 7

The National Treasury will present the 2022-23 budget statement on April 7.

It will be the last such event for National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani as the curtain falls on President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration.

In a statement on Monday, the CS notified the general public that the Budget Statement for the FY 2022/23 will be delivered on Thursday, April 7, starting at 3pm.

The presentation comes weeks after Treasury Principal Secretary Julius Muia invited public contributions and ideas on policy and tax measures for the 2022-2023 fiscal plan.

The proposals, which are to be submitted by the close of business on March 22, are expected to cover measures including economic resilience, ways of improving livelihoods and suggestions on fast-tracking the government's priority pillars.

Others are specific ways to accelerate recovery for the private sector and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), tips on fostering a conducive business environment and ways of enhancing revenue mobilisation.

Priority programmes

The report will also include suggestions on how to hasten the implementation of the government’s priority programmes under the Big Four agenda in order to accelerate economic recovery and improve livelihoods.

Other proposals are how to integrate young people and women into accelerating sustainable economic recovery, and ways to prudently manage public resources and effectively deal with corruption.

Last year, Mr Yatani laid out a Sh3.6 trillion budget that was expected to cement the legacy of Mr Kenyatta’s 10 years in office in a tough economic setting that was clouded with depressed corporate and household earnings amid uncertainties arising from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Plea to taxpayers

Mr Yatani pleaded with taxpayers to freely pay their taxes to fund new measures to consolidate the economic gains made since March 2020.

A month after last year’s budget was presented, the Treasury asked the public to submit proposals on economic policy measures for the next financial year ahead of the 2022 General Election.

In a notice, the exchequer said the budget-making process for the 2022/23 financial year was to start in August as opposed to the usual September date.

“Cognisant that the year 2022 is an election year, there is need to fast-track the National Fiscal budget process to ensure smooth government operations,'” the notice said.

State agencies and ministries were required to present their proposals by August 30.

Ordinarily, they have until November 25 to draft and present the budget proposals for public participation.

The Treasury usually has until February 15 to present the Draft Policy Statement to Parliament for debate.

Parliament is expected to wind up its sessions at least three months to the General Election, scheduled for August 9.