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{
"id": 1564482,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1564482/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Orwoba",
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"speaker": null,
"content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir. As I was saying, whatever this House decides on the issue that is affecting Nyamira County is actually going to set a precedence on how we protect devolution as the Upper House. I have listened to my colleagues debating and weighing in on the matter. I happen to come from Kisii County, which is a neighbour of Nyamira County. I can tell you that as much as we joke about Nyamira County being our younger brother or our younger sister, these issues are completely affecting the development of Nyamira County. It is not just a matter of conducting two separate assemblies. In the last financial year, Nyamira County lost Kshs19 billion, which cannot be accounted for. When you look at the matters that are going on in Nyamira County---"
},
{
"id": 1564483,
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"text_counter": 310,
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"speaker": null,
"content": "(Sen. Oketch Gicheru walked into the Chamber)"
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{
"id": 1564484,
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"text_counter": 311,
"type": "scene",
"speaker_name": "",
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"speaker": null,
"content": "(Applause)"
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{
"id": 1564485,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1564485/?format=api",
"text_counter": 312,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Orwoba",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "I do not know whether I should pause and wait for Sen. Eddy to maybe give a prescribed apology now that he is back from his suspension. Mr. Temporary Sir, it is not just an issue of two separate assemblies. Nyamira County lost Kshs19 billion in the last financial year. We are yet to be told what happened in terms of accountability of those funds. Right now, we are being told that the county assembly is actually receiving funds through the Controller of Budget. I have heard my colleagues say that the Controller of"
},
{
"id": 1564486,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1564486/?format=api",
"text_counter": 313,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Orwoba",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "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"
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{
"id": 1564487,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1564487/?format=api",
"text_counter": 314,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Orwoba",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "Budget will only follow the law and has to send the funds because they only deal with the CECM for Finance. Let it be on record that the Controller of Budget is actually living in this planet. She is from Nyamira County and she is aware of the things that are happening in that county. So, as much as we are all trying to be independent, what is happening in Nyamira County is an outright abuse of office. One of the recommendations that I think did not make to the amendments is that we should stop funding this county assembly until they put their house in order, I believe that in a time where no one can tell you which is the legitimate assembly, then we also can decide that the county is not functional. So, we should stop the Exchequer from sending all this money that we are losing. As I have said, Kshs19 billion was lost in the last financial year. As I conclude, one of the things that we are not debating in this House, I have heard Sen. (Dr.) Bon Khalwale say that it is political. If it is political, then maybe we need to find a political solution, and maybe the Senator for Nyamira County, my colleague, Sen. Omogeni, should be able to work with the Committee of Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations and find a political solution. As much as it is political, we have to remember that as the Upper House, we are here to protect and defend devolution. At the point where that becomes an issue, then everything else has to be put aside, so that we protect and defend devolution. I support this Motion with amendments. I am also a bit disappointed with the Comittee on Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations. I know that probably they do not have the authority to stop things. This report should have come in earlier, so that we debate it and make sure that we are not losing more funds as we are by of tabling reports on the Floor of the House. Mr. Temporary Speaker, in conclusion, Nyamira County, if governed well, can really produce a lot of good things for the benefit of this country. If, for example, in Kisii and Nyamira counties, we decide to focus on farming, we can feed the whole of this country without even importing any form of food, be it maize, sugar and anything. So, this is an issue that the whole country should look at because it is not just Nyamira County, it is actually affecting us. There is a whole domino effect around the assemblies and them not functioning or otherwise. Mr. Temporary Speaker, I beg to support the report. I want to thank Sen. Omogeni for continuing to do his work in Nyamira and for continuing to make sure that he is independent, devoid of everything that is happening there."
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"text_counter": 315,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Abdul Haji",
"speaker_title": "The Temporary Speaker",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Sen. Osotsi, you have the Floor."
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"id": 1564489,
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"text_counter": 316,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Osotsi",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 13588,
"legal_name": "Osotsi Godfrey Otieno",
"slug": "osotsi-godfrey-otieno"
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"content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir. The matter before us is weighty. I think the Senate is under a major test to see how we are going to resolve this matter."
},
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"text_counter": 317,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Osotsi",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 13588,
"legal_name": "Osotsi Godfrey Otieno",
"slug": "osotsi-godfrey-otieno"
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"content": "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"
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{
"id": 1564491,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1564491/?format=api",
"text_counter": 318,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Osotsi",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 13588,
"legal_name": "Osotsi Godfrey Otieno",
"slug": "osotsi-godfrey-otieno"
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"content": "I have read the report by the Standing Committee on Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations, and I think more should have been done. There are instances of clear violation of laws by both parties, which I think the Committee should have done more to ensure that the law is upheld. There is a serious problem with Nyamira County. As the Chairperson of County Public Investments and Special Funds Committee (CPIC), I have had a lot of problems dealing with this county, particularly, the governor of this county. In fact, there are about five counties which are in a category of their own when it comes to matters of governance, accountability and transparency - where impunity rules. What we are discussing now is impunity of the highest order, where people have decided to violate the law; people have decided to create their own law and operate in their own space. If you look at the history of this matter, you realize that it started with the attempted impeachment process against the Governor, then it went to the Speaker and then it created the two parallel assemblies and amended the Standing Orders, so that they could carry out this impeachment. The overall effect of all this is that there is no oversight in Nyamira County because of the two parallel Houses, because of the inability of the County Assembly to enforce the appearance of the County Executive Committee Members (CECMs) before them. So, we are in a very serious situation at the moment and that is why I started by saying, I wish the Committee could have done better than what I have read in their Report. This is also a clear sign of interference in the management of the County Assembly, starting with the Governor himself. We have seen how the County Executive of Nyamira has behaved when they appear before the CPIC and CPAC. They clearly demonstrate that they are not ready to be held accountable. If they can do that to the Senate committees, then what about the County Assembly? So what is happening here? The elephant in the room is that every effort is being made to frustrate oversight, accountability and good governance of Nyamira County. That is where the Committee should put their focus on and ensure that the right things are done for the good of the people of Nyamira. I encourage the Committee, since this is a progress report, to try and do better than what they have presented before us. Mr. Temporary Speaker Sir, the Committee on Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations is the interface of this Senate. Most of the issues that affected devolution entirely are supposed to be handled by this Committee. I know there are numerous outstanding matters, which have not been handled such as the Intergovernmental Relations Mechanism. It is high time we had a proper law governing that in this House. That would address some of these challenges. You have seen the response from the Controller of Budget (CoB). It is not justifiable. How does the CoB appropriate money to this County Assembly, an illegal supplementary budget and we leave her to go scot-free?"
}
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