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{
"id": 1408671,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1408671/?format=api",
"text_counter": 119,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Cherarkey",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 13217,
"legal_name": "Cherarkey K Samson",
"slug": "cherarkey-k-samson"
},
"content": "Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. This is one of the Bills that every Senator must speak to. As per Article 96 of the Constitution on protection, deepening and widening devolution, this Bill is the reason why the Senate exists. For the first time, I am proud of the Committee on Finance and Budget for making their voice heard. They are doing a good job. In the last session, we had a push and pull. The sad reality for Sen. Sifuna, my good brother, is that he will not have a field day of blasting and lambasting us at baby showers and funerals. This is because as a The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
},
{
"id": 1408672,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1408672/?format=api",
"text_counter": 120,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Cherarkey",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 13217,
"legal_name": "Cherarkey K Samson",
"slug": "cherarkey-k-samson"
},
"content": "Senate, we have taken a position that we are going to demand Kshs415 billion from counties. We were stuck at Kshs385 billion in the last session, which we agreed with the National Assembly. I support the position of our Committee that led us to stick with Kshs415.9 billion for counties. Mr. Speaker, Sir, we are having challenges. Some of our governors are becoming aviators. My governor cannot account for Kshs1 billion for stalled projects like the newborn mother unit in Kapsabet and Creameries Kabiyet. As governors become aviators, as the young people on the streets refer to them, we must ensure that every coin is accounted for. For the first time in this session, the Senate is speaking with one voice. County governors want Kshs450 billion. I saw the chairperson of Council of Governors (CoGs) speaking to the press instead of the Senate to explain why they need Kshs450 billion. With the reality on the ground, as they say, ‘ Vitu kwa ground ni different’. We agree that Kshs415 billion would be enough. I heard one of us say that we cannot call out the National Assembly. However, we must call them out for their laziness, larceny, ineffectiveness, and being moribund. How can we consider the latest audited accounts as the Financial Year 2019/2020 when the budget was not more than Kshs1 trillion? The National Assembly must be called out because it is becoming dangerous and cancerous against the growth of devolution. The national Government is getting an allocation of Kshs2.5 trillion, while counties are getting partly Kshs391 billion. This is like the budget for one Ministry. The National Assembly must be called out. They must ensure that the last audited account is the Financial Year 2022/2023. I hope they are taking notes even if they are proceeding to recess. The second point I wanted to make is on the proposed shareable allocation of Kshs415 billion. I would like to advise the governors; I know the chairperson and the Committee on Finance and Budget is aware of this. The governor should be careful about merging. We have seen it on Community Health Promoters (CHPs) and industrial parks. It will always affect their governments. Even as we discuss this elusive cake that cannot satisfy everybody, as the County Public Accounts Committee has observed, most of the county government's Own Source Revenue (OSR) is falling back. For example, Nandi County has a potential of Kshs630 million. However, they are collecting Kshs300 million. A county like Nairobi should be collecting up to Kshs50 billion but is collecting way below because it is not doing justice to its people. There is another elephant in the room. I know the Cabinet Secretary, Hon. Moses Kuria, has said that civil servants should be given contracts. The wage bill in counties is eating the development money. In the development expenditures of the Controller of Budget, I saw Kisii County being down the list. Nandi County is also struggling in terms of development expenditures. The biggest threat to development in counties is the wage bill. In Nandi County 50 per cent of the budgetary allocation is to the wage bill. The only county with 34.5 per cent is Isiolo County, which we were informed yesterday. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
},
{
"id": 1408673,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1408673/?format=api",
"text_counter": 121,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Cherarkey",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 13217,
"legal_name": "Cherarkey K Samson",
"slug": "cherarkey-k-samson"
},
"content": "The wage bill issue among counties must be a national crisis I have heard that civil servants want to go on strike because of what the Cabinet Secretary said about giving people contracts and young unemployed people are preparing their Curriculum Vitaes (CVs). The biggest danger to counties is the wage bill. Mr. Speaker, Sir, you have experience as a governor. I am told in some counties somewhere in Western Kenya, some people were hired to carry the governor's seat, like Asantehene in the Bulawayo, history of Zimbabwe. It was in Kakamega County or wherever it is. Also, people are employed to carry a VIP toilet. How many times does the governor visit the washrooms when he needs a toilet for a three-hour function? We must be serious on how we spend our money unless the governor is eating not very good food. We are budgeting for housing and hospitality for governors. However, you will find non-essential staff; three people doing a job that one person should do. Having a secretary, tea boy, and cleaners who are non-essential staff should be eliminated. In conclusion, our doctors are demonstrating and when you inform governors of this, they want to blame the national Government. I am ready for mediation to ensure counties get more money but with accountability. I submit and support the Bill with amendments."
},
{
"id": 1408674,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1408674/?format=api",
"text_counter": 122,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Kingi",
"speaker_title": "The Speaker",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Sen. Faki, proceed."
},
{
"id": 1408675,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1408675/?format=api",
"text_counter": 123,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Faki",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 13211,
"legal_name": "Mohamed Faki Mwinyihaji",
"slug": "mohamed-faki-mwinyihaji-2"
},
"content": "Asante, Bw. Spika kwa kunipa fursa hii pia kutoa kauli yangu kwa Mswada wa ugawaji wa fedha kati ya serikali za kaunti na Serikali Kuu. Suala hili ni muhimu sana kwa sababu fedha hizi ndizo zinapeleka huduma katika kaunti zetu. Kwanza kabisa ni kuwa, wakati wa Kongamano la Ugatuzi mwaka jana kule Uasin-Gishu, Serikali ilitoa kauli kuwa itatoa zile huduma zote ambazo hazija gatuliwa. Lakini mpaka sasa hatujaona chochote kwa suala hilo. Hata hivyo, tukiangalia bajeti ya mwaka huu ambayo tunaizungumzia, inamaana kwamba suala la ugatuzi wa zile huduma zilizobakia litachukua muda zaidi kuliko vile ilivyo zungumziwa na Rais mwaka uliopita. Kwa sababu ya hiyo, ndio maana tunaona kwamba fedha zimebaki vile vile Kshs385 bilioni. Mwaka jana tulipitisha Kshs385 bilioni na wamependekeza kuongeza Ksh5 bilioni pekee ili zifike Kshs391 bilioni. Kila kaunti imeongeza gharama. Kuna miradi ambayo imekamilika na watu wakaajiriwa kazi. Huduma za kuendesha miradi kama zile zote zimoengezeka na hata bei za bidhaa pia zimeongezeka kwa sababu kumekuwa na ongezeko mara kwa mara la bei ya mafuta katika nchi yetu. Kwa hivyo, kuongeza Kshs4 bilioni ama Ksh5 bilioni kwa zile pesa ambazo zimetengwa kuja kwa kaunti ilikuwa ni makosa makubwa kwa Bunge la Kitaifa. Tulitoa mwongozo wakati tulipo jadiliana kuhusiana na kauli ama taarifa ya bajeti ‘ Budget Policy Statement’. Tulisema kwamba pesa ambazo zinatakikana kuja kwa kaunti ziongezwe ziwe Kshs415 bilioni. Nafikiri Bunge la Kitaifa lilipuuza kauli hiyo kwa sababu wangekuwa wameizingatia hawangeleta ile hesabu ya Kshs385 bilioni. Bw. Spika, kuna masuala mapya ambayo yameibuka. Kwa mfano, kodi ya nyumba ambayo imeletwa hivi juzi, ambapo kaunti na wafanyikazi wao wote wanastahili kulipa. Vile vile, kuna malipo mapya ya bima ya afya ambayo imeongezeka. Haya yote yameongeza gharama katika bajeti za kaunti zetu kuhusiana na malipo. Kwa hivyo, The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
},
{
"id": 1408676,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1408676/?format=api",
"text_counter": 124,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Faki",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 13211,
"legal_name": "Mohamed Faki Mwinyihaji",
"slug": "mohamed-faki-mwinyihaji-2"
},
"content": "pendekezo la kuongeza fedha hizi mpaka Kshs415 bilioni ni sawa kabisa. Tumeona pia kutoka ugatuzi uanze, zile pesa ambazo zinapelekwa katika kaunti zetu zinapungua kiasilimia. Mwaka jana ilikuwa asilimia 18 na mwaka huu imefika 15. Kila mwaka zina shuka. Hiyo haioneshi taswira nzuri ya ugatuzi katika nchi yetu. Bw. Spika, tungependa kuunga mkono pendekezo la kuongeza mpaka Kshs415 bilioni. Vile vile pia, tungependa kuona kwamba sheria ya ukaguzi ama sheria ya uhasibu wa fedha inabadilishwa, ili kuwe na uwezo wakati wameshindwa kupitisha zile hesabu za mwaka uliopita, iwe ni moja kwa moja fedha zinapita ili ziwe sambamba na zile pesa ambazo zinakusanywa katika nchi ya Kenya. Hatuwezi kutumia hesabu ya mwaka wa 2020, miaka minne iliyopita, kuamua pesa zitakazo kwenda kwenye kaunti zetu mwaka ujao. Ikiwa hesabu zetu za serikali za kaunti zimefika 2022/2023 ndizo zinazoangaliwa sasa, itakuwaje Serikali Kuu hesabu zake hazija angaliwa sawa sawa mpaka zikafikia mwako ambao tunaufuata. Kwa hivyo, hili suala la kucheleweshwa kwa kukaguliwa kwa hesabu za Serikali linachangia pakubwa pesa kidogo kuja katika kaunti zetu. Katiba inasema hatuwezi kuangalia kitu chochote isipokuwa hesabu za mwaka uliotangulia ama mwaka wa karibu kabisa ambazo zimeweza kuidhinishwa na Bunge la Kitaifa. Bw. Spika, hili ni suala la Kikatiba na nilazima tulivalie njuga kwa sababu tutaendelea kulalamika kila mwaka kuwa pesa zinazo kuja ni kidogo. Lakini tukiangalia kwa undani ni kwamba, tatizo liko katika Bunge la Kitaifa ambapo hawaangalii kwa haraka uhasibu wa fedha ambazo zimetumika katika serikali. Mwisho ni kwamba, mapato ya Serikali inaongezeka. Juzi wameanzisha malipo ya kila kitu kwa akaunti moja na ukilipa huwa kuna ile inayoitwa facilitation fee ya Ksh50. Kwa hivyo ikiwa kuna shughuli milioni moja kwa siku, inamaana wamekusanya Kshs50 milioni. Ikiwa watakusanya Kshs50 milioni kila siku kwa mwezi ni karibu Kshs1.5 bilioni. Pesa hii haiingii katika hesabu ya kaunti zetu. Ninafikiri pesa hii inatumika kwa Serikali pekee kwa sababu, fedha zile hazijawekwa katika orodha ya fedha ambazo tunastahili kupata kama kaunti. Bw. Spika, haya ni masuala ibuka ambayo ni lazima tuyaangalie kwa sababu haiwezekani fedha ziamuliwe na Hazina Kuu. Tulikuwa na pendekezo ya kuifanya hii Hazina Kuu kuwa huru kabisa, ili tuone kwamba wakiwa wanaangalia mahitaji ya kaunti wanaangalia lakini sio kwa sura ya Serikali kuu. Waangalie mahitaji ya kaunti kama taasisi huru. Hii itahakikisha kwamba kuna usawa katika kugawa raslimali katika nchi yetu ya Kenya. Asante kwa kunipa fursa hii."
},
{
"id": 1408677,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1408677/?format=api",
"text_counter": 125,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Kingi",
"speaker_title": "The Speaker",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Proceed, Sen. Abass."
},
{
"id": 1408678,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1408678/?format=api",
"text_counter": 126,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Abass",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 13587,
"legal_name": "Abass Sheikh Mohamed",
"slug": "abass-sheikh"
},
"content": "Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I support the Division of Revenue Bill. As you are aware, the budget that is available to this nation is about Kshs2.5 trillion, of which what we are asking for the counties is Kshs415 billion only. I know that the national Government has many obligations, for instance, paying debts and all these things. However, most of the productive activities have been devolved, for instance, the agricultural sector, water and health. These are some of the most critical institutions in this country. Nonetheless, the budget given to the Ministry of The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
},
{
"id": 1408679,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1408679/?format=api",
"text_counter": 127,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Abass",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 13587,
"legal_name": "Abass Sheikh Mohamed",
"slug": "abass-sheikh"
},
"content": "Health is almost Kshs100 billion and the counties are getting less than Kshs1 billion or Kshs2 billion for the health sector. Besides, today the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) signed by the national Government will affect the counties so much since the salaries and other emoluments for the doctors have increased. Therefore, that has to be factored in the new budget of the counties. Secondly, about Kshs700 million or Kshs800 million has already been transferred to their accounts again. That is the medicinal packs, medical equipment facilities and universal health care business, National Social Security Fund (NSSF) and pensions will be increased. Additionally, there will be an annual increment of salaries. The current increase by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) and the national Government is less than six per cent. It is actually Kshs5.6 billion, while all of these services that are devolved still require the Governors to pay. We have institutions that are duplicating the work of the counties. We have agencies, for instance, the water agencies with almost over 20 agencies that are doing the same work that the counties are doing. This also applies to the roads. As they have rightly said, we have stringent measures to make and little money to spend. However, when a county is scooping money by making a water pan and another agency is making a water pan in the same county, then it beats the purpose of us coming to deal with this. It is high time, as the Senate, that we came up with a Bill that will now make all the functions of regional agencies to be devolved. We do not even need them because as it is, the county is almost doing all the work for these agencies. Mr. Speaker, Sir, one other factor which is overlooked is pending bills. I do not know how we are going to handle it as a House, but we now have a Bill on pending bills. It seems everybody is avoiding to talk about it. The governors do not want to pay it, probably because most of it has come from the previous regimes. However, a government is a government. Yesterday’s Government and today’s is the same. It takes responsibility for all commitments that have been made by the same government, whether it is the county government or national Government. Almost Kshs1.2 trillion are pending bills. We talked the other day that many Kenyans have been rendered poor. They are not able to afford the bills or go for health services. It is high time these pending bills should be paid ones and for all. I repeat that we must follow the Public Finance Management (PFM) Act. That, the first charge of every financial year must clear the pending bills. It seems governors do not even care about the pending bills. They tend to increase more and more, thinking that the next governor will pay for them. That means we are going to continue adding the pending bills. That must be stopped. I request the County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) and the County Public Investments Committee (CPIC) to take very serious action against these things. It is not sustainable to be increasing pending bills every day. As much as we appreciate--- I know some of my colleagues are talking about the county issues. The governor is not the county, but only someone elected. We shall not be challenging the money that is going to the counties. We must deal with the governor as an individual. We shall not The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
},
{
"id": 1408680,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1408680/?format=api",
"text_counter": 128,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Abass",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 13587,
"legal_name": "Abass Sheikh Mohamed",
"slug": "abass-sheikh"
},
"content": "control money going to the county simply because a governor is not friendly to a senator or anybody else. There is a way to take measures. This House has all the constitutional measures that can be put into place to deal with the governors. When you say that there is no need of taking money to the county, then next time many of us are going to be governors tomorrow, and we will cry the same way they are crying now. So, we need to separate the two; that county money is not owned by the governor. Therefore, whatever belongs to the counties must go to the counties. If the governor is misappropriating it, then we deal with him or her as an individual. With those few remarks, I beg to support."
}
]
}