Members of parliament resume duty tomorrow for the last and final session ahead of the August 8 general election.
The mps return with a full in-tray as they are expected to deal with the Finance Bill which will include the supplementary budget aimed at addressing the current food crisis as well as the finance bill that is aimed at revenue-raising measures for the 2017/2018 financial year following the passage of the budget early this year.
President Uhuru Kenyatta has directed that a supplimentary budget be factored in the Finance Bill to address the skyrocketing prices of essential food items.
When presenting this year’s budget estimates, Tresury Cabinet Secreatry Henry Rotich, annouced the removal of the VAT on maize floor to caution the high prices, but his has not stopped the soruing of the prices.
Its is expected that in the proposed supprimentary Budget, Rotich will be seeking more funds for the purchase of maize and more imports of sugar.
But despite a packed agenda, there are fears that the house may be faced with quorum hitches just like it happened before they went on recess especially now that some of the members lost during the just concluded party primaries.
Before the recess the House sittings were characterized by quorum hitches as members had retreated to their constituencies to campaign.
In some instances, business listed in the Order Paper has had to be postponed due to absence of legislators in the House while responses for questions sought by MPs have had to be put on hold because they were absent despite being made aware in advance about the business of the day
The reconvening of the house coincides with the appeal by the president through the State House spokesman Manoah Esipisu who announced that the president will send to parliament, the measures the government intends to adopt through the estimates, adding that this would be done once Rotich puts final touches to the budget he is working on.
The cost of basic commodities have increased with sugar retailing at Sh200 per kilogram and maize flour at Sh160, prompting the opposition to hit out at the Jubilee government and the trend is expected prevail till September 2017 due to prolonged drought that hit the country.
And when they resume sittings today apart from the high food prices and the finance bill the legislators are expected to debate and pass 18 pieces of legislation and proposals that have been pending.
Among them being the two-third gender bill that is expected to be introduced by the Leader of the Majority Aden Duale to ensure that the constitutional provision that no more than two-thirds of the Members of Parliament are of one gender.
