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The annual expenditure estimates of the East African Community (EAC) for 2021/2022 fiscal year are ready for tabling in the House.
This is a sharp departure from last year's anguish in which they could not be tabled and passed in time due a serious cash crisis compounded by Covid-19.
The delayed budget for 2020/2021 sailed through the East African Legislative Assembly (Eala) on January 27th this year after acrimonious debates.
Sources at the EAC headquarters said at the weekend that the proposed estimates have just been approved by the Council of Ministers - a powerful organ of the EAC.
Beginning this week, they will be sent to the General Purpose Committee (GPC) of Eala for further scrutiny before it is read in the Assembly.
"The budget will be read anytime at Eala anytime between June 17th and 30th", disclosed the acting Clerk of the Assembly Charles Kadonya.
He added that the estimates were approved by the 40th meeting of the Council of Ministers held here last week,a rare physical meeting for EAC for months.
However, he was not categorical as to whether the plenary session of the House to approve the budget would be held virtually as has been Eala's sessions since March last year.
The timely tabling of the budget this time around would, nevertheless,erase the bitter memories of deepening cash crisis at EAC last year amid a spat between the key organs.
Traditionally, EAC budgets are tabled in the regional Assembly between mid-May and mid-June for the financial year commencing July 1st.
This was not the case last year, when the exercise was delayed for seven months until late January this year due to a combination of factors.
According to Mr. Kadonya. a total of $53.1million or 58 percent of the entire budget for 2021/2022 will be raised from the six partner states.
Another $37.4million or 42 percent of the total $90million will be sourced from an array of development partners supporting the Community.
Each of the six partner states in the bloc - Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda and South Sudan - has to contribute $7.8million to the kitty.
The other window for the partner states's contributions would be through fees from the road agencies and interests and other miscellaneous income.
Budget funds would also be raised from membership fees and reserves to the Inter University Council of East Africa (IUCEA) and Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC).
The expenditure estimates will be tabled amid signs of gradual decline of EAC budgets from $111million in 2019/2020 to $97million in 2020/2021 to $90million in the next fiscal year.
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