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{
    "id": 1012259,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1012259/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 398,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. (Dr.) Mwaura",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13129,
        "legal_name": "Isaac Maigua Mwaura",
        "slug": "isaac-mwaura"
    },
    "content": "amount of Kshs22.5 billion is money that can really make a difference in the lives of Kenyans who have not had the advantage of government. If I was asked, I would persuade this House that I would rather this money went to the county level, rather than the constituency level because there are also economies of scale. At the constituency level you will end up with the amount that I had suggested about Kshs300 million to Kshs400 million or less. Then the question would be, what are those projects that you are going to do that would be transformational? Article 204 of the Constitution requires that these monies only focus on electricity, health, water, roads, services, about four or five of them. I think that is not a preserve of a constituency. There is a way in which we have actually made a mockery of resource-sharing so that then the opportunity cost is lost. We do not just want to create another kitty for people to tenderpreneur. I think it is important that this Senate be seized of this matter. There is a reason why this Bill has come to us. I know this is part of the national Government share because that is what the Constitution so anticipated. That leads me to the next matter. Madam Temporary Speaker, I see from the Bill, it proposes that the Report goes only to the National Assembly. I am persuaded to think that this matter also concerns counties. Therefore, that Report should also be tabled here so that Members of the Senate can as well debate about the Report and also how such monies shall be used. I think it is important and I have not had an opportunity to thoroughly go through the Report of the Committee. It was just handed over to me as I was waiting to speak. However, I think these are some of the recommendations that should go to mediation so that you augment the role of the Senate with regard to the Equalization Fund. Why? This is because the Equalization Fund is a consequence of Article 203 about the equitable share, the basis for sharing of resources. So, it cannot be left to be out of the benevolence of the National Government. I think this is where the Senate is required to ensure that its footprints are felt in terms of the National Policy that affects the people who live in counties. I think that is another issue that I would want to flag out. Another issue, before I come to the philosophical aspects of this Bill is that, yes, it is actually drafted in a normal way a National State Agency is created. We must ask ourselves this question because there is sunset clause to this Fund. It’s not in perpetuity. It has been breached since the advent of the new Constitution. It is expected that the National Treasury will demonstrate the deposits that have not been utilized as a result of lack of this enabling legislation and the data that has been collected by those Principal Secretaries and Ministers who have flown around to check who is marginalized and who is not. When those monies are actually accounted for or rather demonstrate that they actually exist and have not been used, then the question would be there needs to be a Marshall Plan that then says what are we going to do? Then you are likely to come up with mega- projects that are trans-county. It still takes me back to the issue of; this Fund should not be constituency-based in terms of the administration. That is critical. I can hear my good sister Sen. Farhiya saying The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}