Inside Ukur Yatani’s Sh3.2 trillion budget

This year’s budget will be keenly followed by many Kenyans because of the unprecedented times we find ourselves in over the Covid-19 pandemic that is raving economies worldwide.

The budget is expected to speak directly to the country’s wellbeing at a time the economy is being ravaged by the virus, locust invasion and floods among other externalities.

To take the Covid-19 pandemic fight head-on, the Health Ministry has been allocated Sh117.6 billion to help kickstart the economy back to business.

But, most of the Covid-19 monies have been stashed in what is broadly defined as the Emergency-Response Fund under President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Sh53.7 billion eight-point stimulus programme targeting infrastructure, educations, small and medium enterprises, health, agriculture, tourism and manufacturing.

To ensure that learning continues during the partial lockdown, the Teachers Service Commission has been allocated the lion’s share of the budget with Sh266. 1 billion, roughly 15 percent of the budget.

For the infrastructure projects, the responsible state department has been allocated Sh189.6 billion, about Sh50 billion less than last year’s.

The Interior ministry will get Sh131.7 billion while the State Department for Social Protection, Pensions and senior citizens will have Sh33.6 billion to ensure vulnerable people have access to basic necessities.

To stimulate the economy, 200,000 youth will be hired in the short-term to clean towns, with additional 10,000 teachers and 5,000 health workers added to the labour force.

A further 1,000 ICT interns will also be absorbed in the economic stimulus package to support digital learning while 5,500 community scouts will work with the Kenya Wildlife Service alongside casual labourers to rehabilitate roads.