(2) If there is a change of national government, the new government may, with the approval of Parliament, deviate from the financial objectives in a Budget Policy Statement but shall not deviate from the fiscal responsibility principles.

(3) The National Treasury shall provide a report to Parliament regarding the deviation, and shall include in the report— (a) the reasons for and the implications of the deviation; (b) proposals to address the deviation; (c) the period the deviation is estimated to last; and (d) the status of development projects initiated by the national government and if any project has been stopped, the reasons for doing so.

(4) The National Treasury shall publish and publicise the report made under subsection (3) within fifteen days after its submission to Parliament. Responsibilities of the National Treasury with respect to national public funds

17. The National Treasury to administer the Consolidated Fund (1) The National Treasury shall administer the Consolidated Fund in accordance with Article 206 of the Constitution.

(2) The National Treasury shall maintain the Consolidated Fund in an account to be known as the National Exchequer Account, kept at the Central Bank of Kenya and shall, subject to Article 206(1) of the Constitution— 23 No. 18 of 2012 Public Finance Management [Rev. 2020] (a) facilitate payment into that account all money raised or received by or on behalf of the national government; and (b) pay from that National Exchequer Account without undue delay all amounts that are payable for public services.

(3) The National Treasury shall ensure that the National Exchequer Account is not overdrawn at any time.

(4) Where a withdrawal from the Consolidated Fund is authorised under the Constitution or an Act of Parliament for the appropriation of money, the National Treasury shall make a requisition for the withdrawal and submit it to the Controller of Budget for approval.

(5) The approval of a withdrawal from the Consolidated Fund by the Controller of Budget, together with written instructions from the National Treasury requesting for the withdrawal, shall be sufficient authority for the Central Bank of Kenya to pay amounts from the National Exchequer Account in accordance with the approval and instructions provided.

(6) The National Treasury shall, at the beginning of every month, and in any event not later than the fifteenth day from the commencement of the month, disburse monies to county governments for the expenditure of the following month.

(7) The disbursement referred to in subsection (6) shall be done in accordance with a schedule prepared by the National Treasury in consultation with the Intergovernmental Budget and Economic Council, with the approval of the Senate, and published in the Gazette, as approved, not later than the 30th May in every year. [Act No. 34 of 2013, s. 14.]