Honourable Senators, I wish to make the following Communication regarding the status of delivery by the County Assemblies to the Speakers of the two Houses of Parliament their decisions on the draft Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill, 2020.

A Parliamentary caucus has proposed a raft of radical reforms to inject realism and fiscal discipline in the budgeting process, and to ensure the national debt remains at sustainable levels.

Speaking during a 2-day stakeholders engagement forum in Mombasa County this weekend, the Parliamentary Caucus on Economy and Business also rooted for the need to enhance the independence of the national debt office and the strengthening of budget implementation monitoring and evaluation framework and for the execution of House resolution.

The National Assembly’s Budget and Appropriations Committee chaired by the Hon. Kanini Kega (Kieni), in a joint sitting with the House’s Liaison Committee(Chairpersons Committee); chaired by Deputy Speaker, the Hon. Moses Cheboi (Kuresoi North), have this weekend convened a pre-budget review conference with various government agencies in Mombasa County. The two-day forum is scheduled to deliberate on the status of implementation of the budget for the Financial Year 2020/2021, as well as review the 2021/2022 budget proposals.

Honourable Members, it is with deep sorrow that I wish to notify the House of the untimely passing on of the Member for Bonchari Constituency, the Hon. John Oroo Oyioka, MP, who passed on yesterday, Monday 15^th February 2021 while undergoing treatment at Aga Khan Hospital, Kisumu.