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{
"id": 1392971,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1392971/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Omboko Milemba",
"speaker_title": "The Temporary Speaker",
"speaker": {
"id": 13328,
"legal_name": "Jeremiah Omboko Milemba",
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"content": "I suspect you had spoken to this. Next is Hon. Ferdinand Wanyonyi. Is he in the House? He is not ready and, therefore, we will have Hon. Makali Mulu."
},
{
"id": 1392972,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1392972/?format=api",
"text_counter": 141,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Kitui Central, WDM",
"speaker_title": "Hon. (Dr) Makali Mulu",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for giving me this opportunity to add my voice to this important Bill. I was prepared to contribute yesterday, but time did not allow it. I am happy that I now have the opportunity. Hon. Temporary Speaker, I want to start by supporting this important Bill on the Regional Development Authorities (RDAs). We all know that we have quite a number of RDAs in this country, most of which are administered from different Acts of Parliament. It is very important when I see one Bill that attempts to consolidate all the RDAs because it is going to ensure that we streamline their operations by having a uniform structure for managing them. Even as we do that, it is important that we make sure some of the challenges The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor"
},
{
"id": 1392973,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1392973/?format=api",
"text_counter": 142,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Kitui Central, WDM",
"speaker_title": "Hon. (Dr) Makali Mulu",
"speaker": null,
"content": "that are faced by those RDAs are adequately addressed in the Bill before it becomes an Act of Parliament. One of the challenges we are facing in this country with RDAs is inadequate funding. Normally, those authorities are supposed to serve the development needs of this country. That means you need both a recurrent and a development budget. But over time, because of inadequacies of funding, you realise that the recurrent budget is provided and, in most cases, a very minimal budget for development. So they do not end up serving the purposes for which they were created. We must provide resources for those important authorities so that, other than just paying salaries, they go that extra mile to ensure that development is also implemented in this country through them. Some of them play key roles, such as the water authorities. Water is a major problem in the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) of this country. If those authorities had been effective and efficient, they would have done a lot in sorting out that matter. From where I sit, one of the reasons why I am supporting this Bill is to have a financial framework to make sure that they are adequately funded. The other matter that is critical and keeps coming up every time we sit is the issue of duplication of roles at two levels: both at the national and the county level. Some of the functions being performed by those RDAs are duplicated. You will find that they are doing almost the same thing, and it is not clear where one should stop and where the other should start. One of the things that should be sorted out in this Bill is to ensure that each of the RDA that will be retained after restructuring has a very clear mandate. About two weeks ago, we visited my constituency, where we have the Tana and Athi River Development Authority (TARDA) and the National Water Harvesting and Storage Authority (NWHSA). One of the dams that we have there, Kalundu, was done by NWHSA but, after completing the implementation, there was no proper handing over of that dam to TARDA, the local authority that is covering our area. Because of that lack of proper handing over, that dam currently is not serving the purpose for which it was intended - small-scale irrigation. The river is now polluted. So, one of the areas we must address is ensuring that even at the national level, we do not overlap functions. In that case, then we will serve specific functions and help Kenyans. The other level is of the overlap of functions between the county and the national Government. Most of the functions that are being performed by those RDAs, like water, are devolved. It is not clear what the county governments and the RDAs need to do and at what point they need to work together as they do the same functions. With that confusion, they will always have conflict as the county governments will be complaining that the RDAs are taking over their roles. So, through this Bill, we must make sure that we come out clearly in terms of what belongs to the county governments and the RDAs. In that case, the conflicts will be minimised. The county governments also argue - and it makes sense - that the reason why they are not getting equitable sharing of resources is that some of the money that should be with them is allocated to Nairobi to take care of functions that are already devolved. If we were very clear in terms of what is devolved and what is not, then county governments would get more resources from the national Government without adding any resources in terms of revenue collection. Those are some of the critical issues that we need to address as a country. The other issue is the administrative framework. In most cases, those RDAs have been used as employment bureaus. The politicians, us included, see those bodies as a way of creating employment for our supporters. Any time you visit them and look at the board composition and who is employed there, you will find that there is a very close alignment of the Cabinet Secretary with the people working there or the boards that are managing the RDAs. In that case, we lose focus on the competencies of the people who are managing them. That is why the other day, you heard the Hon. Deputy Leader of the Majority Party wishing that the people from the Coast manage the Coast Development Authority (CDA). That is confirmation that we are thinking of areas where we can create jobs for our people, which is not the right way. As The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor"
},
{
"id": 1392974,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1392974/?format=api",
"text_counter": 143,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Kitui Central, WDM",
"speaker_title": "Hon. (Dr) Makali Mulu",
"speaker": null,
"content": "we enact this law, we must make sure that we have a clear description of who qualifies to be a board member and an employee in those RDAs, and focus more on merit other than connections. The challenge we have in this country when it comes to matters of who joins which board or who is employed where is; the focus is more on the connections that one has as opposed to the merit. The time has come that, as a House, we focus more on merit. If we do that, we will be helping this country. The last point, as I allow other Members to contribute, is on the numbers. We have so many RDAs. One wonders whether the number we have should be the optimum one. I do believe we could do with a smaller number than we have and still achieve the same outcome. From where I sit, we should look at what we want to achieve at the end of the day and then, work backwards and find out how many RDAs we need to achieve the desired result. If we go that way, then we will get the right number, which should be more efficient, effective and accountable to Kenyans in terms of the resources we are pumping into them. As I support this Bill, we, Hon. Members, should make sure that when it comes to the Third Reading, we are very clear on what we need to do to make sure that Kenyans get value for money. In this era where we have a shortage of resources, this Bill could not have come at a better time to make sure that we streamline those RDAs and push Kenya to the next level. With those many remarks, Hon. Temporary Speaker, I support. Thank you for giving me the opportunity."
},
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"id": 1392975,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1392975/?format=api",
"text_counter": 144,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Kipipiri, UDA",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Wanjiku Muhia",
"speaker": null,
"content": " On a point of order."
},
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"id": 1392976,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1392976/?format=api",
"text_counter": 145,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Omboko Milemba",
"speaker_title": "The Temporary Speaker",
"speaker": {
"id": 13328,
"legal_name": "Jeremiah Omboko Milemba",
"slug": "jeremiah-omboko-milemba"
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"content": " Yes, what is your point of order, Hon. Wanjiku Muhia?"
},
{
"id": 1392977,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1392977/?format=api",
"text_counter": 146,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Kipipiri, UDA",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Wanjiku Muhia",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Hon. Temporary Speaker, I rise under Standing Order 95 to notify you that this Bill has been sufficiently debated and, therefore, request that you call upon the Mover to reply. Many of us here are waiting for the next Order. Thank you."
},
{
"id": 1392978,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1392978/?format=api",
"text_counter": 147,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Omboko Milemba",
"speaker_title": "The Temporary Speaker",
"speaker": {
"id": 13328,
"legal_name": "Jeremiah Omboko Milemba",
"slug": "jeremiah-omboko-milemba"
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"content": " Hon. Members, a Member has risen under Standing Order 95; that the Mover be called upon to reply."
},
{
"id": 1392979,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1392979/?format=api",
"text_counter": 148,
"type": "scene",
"speaker_name": "",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "(Question, that the Mover be now called upon to reply, put and agreed to)"
},
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"id": 1392980,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1392980/?format=api",
"text_counter": 149,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sigor, UDA",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Peter Lochakapong",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I thank all Members who have contributed to this Bill. I also thank Members of the Committee on Regional Integration for working hard and ensuring that we get the Report of this Bill. I also thank them for making themselves available yesterday to make their contributions. As I rise to reply, I echo a majority of the sentiments that have been espoused by the Hon. Members in this House. I bring to the attention of this House the provisions of Article 189 (2) of the Constitution of Kenya 2010 that outline the importance of corporations in the different levels of government. That is between the national and the county governments."
}
]
}