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{
    "id": 806758,
    "url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/806758/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 498,
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    "speaker_name": "",
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Since 2013 to date, more than Kshs1.6 trillion has been devolved to counties. The question one would ask is: What role this House has played to ensure that the money has found its way to the counties. During the first, second, third and fourth year of devolution, this House has its records that we stood for and by the counties almost to a fault. There were times when this House found itself right in the opposite side of the Government and the National Assembly. It is not only once, twice or thrice that Members of this House have had to go for mediation. This House has stood firm that more funds must go to the counties. In light of that background, look at what is happening in counties. It is on record that more than Kshs100 billion is reported to be in pending bills at county governments. That means that within those counties, traders, members of the public and business people who are within those counties have invested their money. They have gone and honoured the call to supply or give services to those counties and up to today, they have not been paid. That is notwithstanding the fact that some of those bills, as reported by the Auditor-General, are probably not genuine. However, part of those bills are genuine. Madam Temporary Speaker, one would ask what role the Senate has played centrally in ensuring that while we have devolved services, have we given members of the public the opportunity to participate at the county level, even within the supplies and provision of services. What role have we played in ensuring that county governments do not become centers of fleecing members of the public? I believe that by having those sittings, we can address some of those issues. In this sitting as Parliament, we also know that according to the adjustments that were made, the Committee on Implementation is no longer sitting. That means that without the Committee on Implementation most resolutions that this House has taken, and the ones we will take, will only be entrusted to the good nature of people, who are mandated or required to implement those decisions. We have decisions made by this House either through Bills or Motions that have not been followed up. When we go to the counties, probably, this is one of the key issues we would want to address at the county level. We would want to find out whether or not the Bills that we have passed in this House have been implemented in the counties. We would want to know whether we have been effective. Has what we have said here been followed up? That will be one way of ensuring that there is value in those sittings. Finally, the value and importance of the role that a Senator plays not only at the county level, but also at the national level cannot be gainsaid. However, sometimes the Senate is treated with jest and contempt, and this has not ended even after the second cycle of elections. This was evidenced even when we went to Kakamega during the Annual Devolution Conference. There were simmering differences, some of them unnecessary. That tells you that the value of this House and the role that a Senator plays has still not been appreciated. Madam Temporary Speaker, when we go to the counties, we should carry the spirit that we are not seeking to be appreciated as ‘big’ men or women, but for what we do and the value we attribute to the work we do at the counties. When we take this to the people, it will make more sense and meaning. During all the six years when we have had devolution, the one single elected legislator who has been closest to the people is a 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."
}