President Uhuru Kenyatta has this evening signed into law the Supplementary Appropriation Bill to release funds for Government expenditure for the financial year that is ending June 30.

The law mandates the National Treasury to release Shs 161 billion from the Consolidated Fund to various Government departments. The funds are categorised into recurrent expenditure which totals to Shs 107.5 billion and development expenditure that totals to Sh53.7 billion respectively.

The Appropriation Act authorises among other things the release of Shs 8 billion for settlement of pending Government bills. The allocations for pending bills is aimed at effecting the payments to traders who have provided services to the Government in line with the recent directive by President Kenyatta.

The law the President signed also reflects the continuation of the austerity measures that were entrenched at the beginning of the financial year that is closing.

The austerity measures are reflected in the reduction of Government expenditure by Shs 58 billion, which was slashed from various departments.

The State Department of Infrastructure was allocated Shs16.6 billion while the Ministry of Water and Sanitation will receive Shs 11.8 billion for development.

The State Department for Crop Development will receive Shs 8.9 billion while the State Department for Sport Development was allocated Sh9.1 billion.

The State Department of University Education will receive Shs 5.3 billion while the State Department of Vocational and Technical Training will receive Shs 2.6 billion.

The Teachers Service Commission was allocated Shs 14.1 billion while the State Department of Housing was allocated Shs 7.8 billion and Shs 4.1 billion will go to the State Department of Health.

The Bill was presented to the President for signing by the Speaker of the National Assembly Justin Muturi who was accompanied by the Leader of Majority in the National Assembly Aden Duale and Clerk Michael Sialai.