Treasury CS Ukur Yattani has read out the Budget allocations for the financial year 2021/22, with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) getting the lion’s share of Ksh281.7 billion.
Ksh77.7 billion has been allocated for university education while Ksh62.2 billion has been set aside for free day secondary education and Ksh15.8 billion for Higher Education Loans Board (HELB).
Ksh1 billion will be used for competency based curriculum while Ksh2.5 billion will be used for recruitment of additional teachers.
Ksh12 billion has been allocated for free primary education.
The government will use Ksh27.2 billion for construction of Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) Phase II (Nairobi-Naivasha), which has already been launched.
Ksh454.1 million has been allocated to the Youth Enterprise Development Fund and a further Ksh120 million for Women Enterprise Fund while Ksh62 million will be used for Uwezo Fund.
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To support youth and women empowerment, allocations Ksh4.2 billion has been set aside for the Kenya Youth Empowerment and Opportunities Project (KYEOP) while Ksh10 billion has been set aside for National Youth Service (NYS).
The government has also allocated Ksh14.3 billion to Covid-19 vaccine acquisition and boost containment measures.
Ksh5.8 billion will be used malaria, HIV and TB prevention, Ksh3.9 billion in vaccinations and immunization programmes while Ksh450 million will be used in the purchase of radiotherapy equipment at Kenyatta University Hospital.
Ksh863 million will be used for procurement of family planning and reproductive health commodities while Ksh600 million will go into the procurement of equipment at National Blood and Transfusion Centre.
Ksh1.97 billion has been allocated to improving agriculture and food security, Ksh1.2 billion for the recruitment of health care interns, Ksh1 billion for the Kenya Wildlife Services to engage community scouts, and Ksh3 billion for youth empowerment and employment creation under Kazi Mtaani.
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In the water sector, Ksh39.1 billion has been allocated to the water & sewerage infrastructure, Ksh16.4 billion for water resource management, Ksh9.6 billion for forest and water tower conservation, and Ksh10.4 billion to irrigation & land reclamation.
Ksh10.8 billion has been allocated to water storage and flood control while Ksh8.2 billion will be used in wildlife conservation and management.
County Governments have been allocated Ksh409.8 billion, which comprises of Ksh370 billion from the equitable share of revenue raised nationally and Ksh7.5 billion as additional conditional allocations from the National Government share of revenue. County governments will also get Ksh32.3 billion as conditional allocation from the Development Partners.
Ksh23.1 billion has been allocated for the Economic Recovery Programme, Ksh2.6 billion to enhance liquidity to business, Ksh6.4 billion for improving education outcome, Ksh6.9 billion for improving environment, water and sanitation facilities.
Ksh3.3 billion has been allocated to the Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission (EACC), Ksh3.2 billion for office of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), Ksh7.6 billion for criminal investigation services and Ksh5.9 billion for Office Auditor General.
The government will offer VAT exemptions to health products and technologies, goods used in geothermal, oil and mining, equipment for generation of solar/wind energy, asset transferred to Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), and transitional goods used in power generation under power purchase agreements.
Yatani has also directed government ministries, departments and agencies at the county governments to clear all their pending bills by June 30, 2021.
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