The Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya (ICPAK) has urged the county and national governments to involve citizens in decision making processes to avoid explosive situations.
CPA Mike Mbaya of Mbaya and Associates said the recent public uproar over the planned decision by the National Government to increase VAT on petroleum products before Parliament delayed the plans by two years, showed the government’s failure to involve wananchi in its decisions.
Speaking during a Public Finance Management Workshop at Hotel Itoya in Busia Town on Thursday, Mbaya said the national government appeared to have listened only to International Monetary Fund to increase VAT on petroleum products instead of also seeking the views of wananchi.
‘’There is need by the County and National Governments to have citizens fit within Vision 2030 to get Kenya into middle or higher income country. This can only bear fruits if citizens are involved in budget making process,’’ he said.
ICPAK Public Policy & Research Officer, Hillary Onami said the attainment of the ‘’Big Four’’ Agenda, the brainchild of President Uhuru Kenyatta needs the involvement of all the sector players including citizens to realize the objective.
He said the institute will help President Uhuru Kenyatta in meeting the ‘’ Big Four’’ agenda both at national and family levels through participatory budgeting, adding that there was need to domesticate Public Finance Management in families, football clubs, churches and many others to actualize the Vision 2030.
Onami said there is need to develop capacities to expedite the realization of the Big Four Agenda. There are many gaps in production of maize, rice and sugar, thus the need by citizens to venture into it.
Over 500,000 housing units are needed. Wananchi should develop capacities to support the housing units by engaging in welding and other related activities,’’ he said.
Onami said the medical practitioners should encourage wananchi to live healthy lives while Accountants should come out of their comfort zones of keeping books and records and venture into activities related the Big Four.
The workshop attracted qualified accountants from Busia including Roselyn Lumbasi, Zadock Koech, Pamela Ojok, Aggrey Mangoli, Maximilla Ayieko, Victor Juma, Seth Imbisi and Violet Musimbi.