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{
"id": 1565912,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1565912/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Maanzo",
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"content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir. Since devolution started, I have debated this Bill every year. At first, it used to start at the National Assembly, but I have seen that this time round, it has been signed by the Chairperson in charge of the Liaison, Hon. Gladys Boss. After the National Assembly debates it, it comes to the Senate. However, in one way or another, a decision has already been made at the National Assembly and when it comes here, it is a debate where we might not change a lot. A lot of times we have tried to change or increase the revenue or monies going to the counties, but most of the time it is difficult. If you look at the current Division of Revenue Bill, 2024/2025 and the one we will do this year and next year, you will realize that money was reduced in last year’s one. What we were bargaining for last year is what has now been awarded - Kshs405 billion for the counties. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, devolution is in our Constitution and is the sure tool to develop counties. It is the best way one can get to the grassroots. Our biggest role is to support devolution as the Senate and make sure that devolution works. There are national functions and county functions as Sen. Peris Tobiko, my neighbour, has said. The national functions have things we should really invest in. Kenyans waste a lot of time on the road and there are road accidents as well. By now, we should be having a dual carriage to Mombasa. At some point, the Americans were to do it and they had negotiated a very good deal. We also expect a dual carriage to Western Kenya, so that goods and services can move fast from our ports to the ports in Lake Victoria, Uganda and the other countries that are served by our port in Mombasa. There is also the proposed corridor through Isiolo as well as the Airport in Isiolo, which has become a white elephant; bearing that the construction had problems. We also never got value for money for that Airport. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, when you look at the national functions vis-a-vis the counties; they are intertwined. It is therefore important that we develop the county and all the taxes that are collected from Kenyans go into good use. Then Kenyans will be more"
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"id": 1565913,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1565913/?format=api",
"text_counter": 328,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Maanzo",
"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": 1565914,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1565914/?format=api",
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"speaker": null,
"content": "May 21, 2025 SENATE DEBATES 51"
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"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1565915/?format=api",
"text_counter": 330,
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"content": "than happy to pay taxes and see the job being done. I doubt whether you will find any protest when the job is done as it is supposed to be. Recently, my Committee went to Arusha. We wasted about two hours at Kitengela. I wish there was a bypass or an expressway, so that people who are not going to Kitengela Town could easily connect to the road coming from Cape Town in South Africa, to Cairo in Egypt. Imagine somebody travelling using that route just to get stuck in traffic when they get to Kenya. As a result, services and goods are held there and we end up having a stream of lorries. That is why we need to see these monies get into good use."
},
{
"id": 1565916,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1565916/?format=api",
"text_counter": 331,
"type": "other",
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"speaker": null,
"content": "Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, the feeder roads are maintained by the county governments yet the county governments’ monies are delayed. Monies for Makueni County and all other counties are delayed for two or three months and the cost of the delay is very high for all the counties and the Government at large. This is something we should look at, as a Senate, and make sure that there is enough pressure for the monies to reach the counties at a good time. With that, salaries will be paid on time and the counties will not resort to borrowing from commercial banks such as Co-operative Bank that has been kind enough to help a lot of counties across the country. When the counties borrow money from the banks, it means that the county and the people of Kenya are losing money to traders. The railway network serves and interconnects the counties. It is important for us to have a network which serves the city. If that happens, a lot of people will leave their cars at home and the traffic jams will reduce. We should have a railway network, which goes into many parts of the country. The SGR links Nairobi and Mombasa and there is an effort to have it get to Kisumu though that has delayed. Part of what messed up the plan was exorbitant prices of land, which had to be purchased, yet this land should have been allocated from the beginning as part of the railway schedule. With that, we would not have had the need to buy land from the public. We never take into consideration the Auditor-General's report when making the Division of Revenue Bill because they have delayed in years. How better would it be for us to have the report of the Auditor-General and the report of the Commission of Revenue Allocation (CRA) ready when making the Division of Revenue Bill? These reports raise a lot of questions most of the times. There are counties that end up feeling that they have been denied money unjustifiably."
},
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"id": 1565917,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1565917/?format=api",
"text_counter": 332,
"type": "other",
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"speaker": null,
"content": "Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, there is the issue of national functions and county functions. Health is devolved. We should not have the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) staff coming to Parliament almost every day. They should have been employed under permanent and pensionable terms. Those who remain under the national Government do so and those who are devolved should go and find their money with their respective governors. I do not think that has been done very well."
},
{
"id": 1565918,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1565918/?format=api",
"text_counter": 333,
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"speaker": null,
"content": "When we do the budgets for the counties and the national Government, the devolved functions should be clear. Money must follow functions. If health is devolved, then the national Government should deal with policy as the governors efficiently deal with the real issues such as hospitals and medication at the grassroots."
},
{
"id": 1565919,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1565919/?format=api",
"text_counter": 334,
"type": "other",
"speaker_name": "",
"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."
},
{
"id": 1565920,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1565920/?format=api",
"text_counter": 335,
"type": "other",
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"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "May 21, 2025 SENATE DEBATES 52"
},
{
"id": 1565921,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1565921/?format=api",
"text_counter": 336,
"type": "other",
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"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "Agriculture is devolved, but a lot of things such as fertilizers and herbicides are still being handled by the national Government. The role of the county government and Council of Governors (CoG) ends up being minimal. There is a need to fully implement devolution."
}
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