The Members of Parliament (MP) in the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Lands have decried proposed budget cuts to the Ministry of Lands and the National Land Commission (NLC) saying the move they could cripple operations in the respective government departments.
The opposed the reductions operations will grind to a halt if they are approved especially the compensation of all unpaid bills which have been pending for years.
Led by chairperson Joash Nyamoko who also doubles as the Mugirango North MP, the MPs noted that the proposed 50 per cent budget cut to the Ministry of Lands may not only cripple normal operations, but also hamper routine activities in the State Department for Lands and Physical Planning which generate revenue to the government.
The committee which was meeting Lands Principal Secretary Nixon Korir resolved to hold another sitting with his National Treasury counterpart over the matter.
Overall, the Supplementary Estimates No.1 of 2024/25 proposes to reduce the approved Government Budget estimates by Sh121.8billion.
The Budget Committee had earlier proposed that in view of delayed compensation for land acquired from individuals by the government for various projects, the Cabinet Secretary for National Treasury and Economic Planning to prioritise payment for land compensation in the FY 2024/25 estimates before they are submitted to the National Assembly.
“Going forward, no government project should commence before the owners of the land are compensated in full.” The committee said.
However following the revised Budget and the subsequent tabling of the Supplementary Budget which has been necessitated by the withdrawal of the Finance Bill, 2024, no money has been set aside for compensation.
The Lands commission had urged MPs to reconsider its budget cut, warning that most of its operations risk stalling.
The commission said its digitisation plans as well as operations will suffer the most should it lose the money that it had initially allocated.
“Our planned activities which include digitisation will be hugely affected if this budget cut is allowed to stand.” Otachi said.
The commission said it has the potential to raise enough revenue but its efforts to unleash its economic potential.
