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{
    "id": 584353,
    "url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/584353/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 361,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "September 22nd, 2015 SENATE DEBATES 50 Sen. Murkomen",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "The Temporary Speaker, Sir, that is why I am saying it is important. I listened to the Mover also but I have also read that one of the key issues is to ensure that there are no multiple processes that are going on, people are not tabling a petition at the same time there are other processes out there, so that in the petition, there is a clear declaration that there is no pending matter or process that is going on in the court. I think one thing that we might need to include in this Bill is the fact that we must make it mandatory that the county assembly during the day that the petition is being debated or at the time that the final verdict is being made, that at least, they ensure that an invitation is extended to the petitioner so that they can come and sit in the gallery where they will follow the proceedings on the petition. Sometimes, some petitions are related to special groups, persons with disabilities, minority communities in the county, elderly people and so forth. If they want to arrange themselves and come and to listen what procedures are going on in the House, we need to provide for that mandatory requirement that the petitioner be invited during the day that the debate is going on, through an extended invitation. He may come or not. That should not tie the county assembly from proceeding with the petition but give him that option of being able to sit in the gallery, listen to the petition and appreciate what is going on. As I conclude, I want to say that county assemblies are very important for this country. They are important for economic growth in the counties. Today, we were discussing with some of the County Assemblies Forum Members who came to our Committee, and it is important that county assemblies have a bigger picture for the country and for the county. This idea of a welfare State where county assemblies agree that let all the money be divided to every sub-location, there is no planning about major projects in the county. You find now in the desire to please everybody, counties are dividing money into very little fractions that are distributed to every sub-location and when you want to look at what major project is going on in that county, you do not find it. What major road they are investing in, you do not find because they have distributed the money thin. We must tell the county assemblies to begin thinking big. We must also not berate the county assemblies. I know sometimes – I saw my county assembly, and you must have read in the newspaper; they were being accused of travelling to Brazzaville. What the public must be informed is that county assemblies have that power to travel. The question should be: Are they travelling for the purpose that was intended? Is the resource being used or are they diverting resources beyond that which was meant for that purpose? It will be unfair, for example, in my county, the Members of County Assembly (MCAs) are being accused of going to the All Africa Games yet more than five Senators were with them. Members of the National Assembly were also there, and I know them. It is important also that we do not have unfair treatment of county assemblies even where we, as legislators, go through a similar process. However, it is important that county resources must be used prudently for the purpose which they are intended. It must be used for the purpose that the people intended through the County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP). The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}