Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 1015350,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1015350/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 165,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mandera North, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Major (Rtd.) Bashir S. Abdullaih",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13417,
        "legal_name": "Bashir Sheikh Abdullah",
        "slug": "bashir-sheikh-abdullah"
    },
    "content": "People are saying that there should be equal distribution of money but, since Independence, the North Eastern area has been neglected by successive regimes. You cannot compare Nairobi and Kiambu counties to counties like Wajir and Mandera. It is not their fault. It has only been seven years since devolution. People are saying that devolution has just been unveiled and there is a lot of corruption. I want to agree with those sentiments, but you cannot compare seven years of devolution to 50 years of national Government neglect. Seven years of devolution cannot cure 50 years of national Government neglect. I am fully aware of those issues. There are counties that have been supported by successive Governments since Independence. From 1963, they have been on an upward trend but those in ASAL, like the North Eastern, have been on a downward trend. We are talking about population. It is a key factor and it is quite in order that it is given more weight. Are we allocating money to individuals or using them for development and provision of services? We have counties that have been developed since Independence. What other development do they need? They do not even have land for road construction and yet, we still want to give them more money and deny those that have been neglected since Independence. This House is to blame for the stalemate because we determine allocation between the national Government and the counties. Why did we not allocate more resources to counties? We keep blaming the Senate. Counties do not operate in isolation. Our people reside in those counties. We do not have a county called the “national Government” that we purport to represent in this House. Our people and our constituencies are in the counties. If more resources are allocated to the counties, we will ensure there is accountability. We will ensure that resources are prudently used and equitably shared amongst the constituencies. My plea to the counties and governors…"
}