Gov’t allocates Ksh.2.5 billion to support Haiti peacekeeping mission

The national government is now seeking a further Ksh.2.5 billion to support the peace keeping mission in Haiti.

In supplementary budget currently before the National Assembly, the Liaison Committee accepted the request by the national government as part of the Ksh.23 billion given to the security sector.

“The security sector has been allocated an additional Ksh.7.5 billion to the National Police Service, of which Ksh.5 billion is to address shortfalls in insurance costs and Ksh.2.5 billion to support the Haiti peacekeeping mission,” read part the report.

Despite the government insisting that the Haiti mission will not be funded by taxpayers’ money, this is the second time it is seeking funds to support the mission.

Earlier, the government had sought Ksh.2.1 billion to support the peace keeping mission, with the Treasury Cabinet Secretary explaining that the money would be refunded by the UN.

“This money we are spending on behalf of the UN, we are the ones making the payment so the money comes from our exchequer because these are our officers,” CS John Mbadi had explained when questioned.

“So we pay and they refund, but now we have to recognize the expenditure because it was not in the budget. The law says two months should not elapse, and when we do supplementary budgeting, we will reflect it as both income and expenditure.”

The security sector is the biggest gainer in the supplementary budget, with the National Intelligence Service (NIS) and the Ministry of Defence also being allocated billions.

“The National Intelligence Service has been allocated an additional Ksh.9.8 billion for security related operations while the Ministry of Defence has an additional Ksh.6 billion mostly towards settlement of pending bills,” read the supplementary bill.

The education sector also gained in the supplementary budget being allocated to the Teachers’ Service Commission (TSC) to cater for insurance shortfalls, teacher promotions and personnel emolument shortfalls.

The State Department for Basic Education has an additional allocation of Ksh.6.5 billion towards the World Bank support of the Kenya Primary Education Equity in Learning Program, with the reallocation of Ksh.5.26 billion from secondary school capitation to cater for examination waivers.