Uhuru, Ruto lead Cabinet retreat in Naivasha

By Rufus Hunja

President Uhuru Kenyatta opened a two-day Cabinet retreat Naivasha to discuss and agree on Government budgetary priorities as the 2016/2017 budget making process continues.

President Kenyatta told the participants among them Deputy President William Ruto, Cabinet Secretaries as well as Principal Secretaries that the available resources must be utilized well to deliver the Jubilee manifesto.

Speaking when he opened the retreat, Kenyatta said the government must deliver within the resources available.

He urged those present to be at the forefront in the implementation of the Jubilee manifesto as he called for frank and fair deliberations.

The main agenda of the retreat is to review the government priorities and incorporate them in the 2016/2017 budget.

Once the Cabinet agrees on the budgetary priorities the process will culminate with the presentation of the budget to Parliament by National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich and the subsequent debate and approval by the National Assembly.

The retreat comes weeks after President Kenyatta delivered his third annual progress report on the performance of his administration to Parliament.

Previously, the retreat has been used to identify areas of priority for the Cabinet and monitor the progress of projects committed to in the Jubilee manifesto.

This Cabinet retreat could also focus on President Kenyatta’s own foreign travel with an emphasis on the resultant gains following criticism that they have been too frequent and costly.