Treasury in plans to read 2017/18 budget in March

The National Treasury has announced plans to move the presentation of the budget three months earlier in election years.

The proposal presented by Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich will see budget estimates tabled in parliament in January with the budget read in March instead of June, the month it has traditionally been read.

The move is expected to reduce disruptions occasioned in an election year with the 2017 election set for August.

Deputy President William Ruto welcomed the proposal saying elections were not a crisis to disrupt development adding the government must continue working before, during and after the elections.

“We all know that we have elections in August 2017 and that is why the National Treasury has prepared early for us not to make a crisis out of 2017 so that we can finalize all our programs,” Mr Ruto said.

Mr Rotich said the aim of the revised budget calendar is to ensure the 2017/18 budget is appropriated in good time.