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{
    "id": 1019540,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1019540/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 254,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kitui Central, WDM-K",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Makali Mulu",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1955,
        "legal_name": "Benson Makali Mulu",
        "slug": "benson-makali-mulu"
    },
    "content": "procurement process is properly controlled to avoid the kinds of things we are seeing in the counties. Those things can only be done if we comprehensively review the Public Finance Management Act. You realise that of late, we have just been amending particular items and we still leave those gaps. We have to help this country in terms of public finance management. It would be important that we look at this Act comprehensively. In terms of what this amendment Bill is proposing, the issue of uniform revenue collection system is critical. I wish this would have happened a long time ago. My colleagues have already mentioned this, but when you look at what is happening in the counties in terms of what is collected against the potential for collection, you really get surprised. It is amazing. Some are not even hitting 10 per cent of the potential. The other day we were discussing the Nairobi County Government. The Mover hinted at the fact that the potential revenue collection is Kshs78 billion. However, they are collecting less than 40 per cent of that. If Nairobi was reaching its revenue collection potential, they would even be able to contribute to the Consolidated Fund. They would be able to fund their budget - which is about Kshs31 billion - and the excess could be given to the national Government so that they support other counties. What is happening? They are not reaching their revenue collection potential. I agree with those who say that revenue has become like pocket money for governors. There are a number of us who are interested in becoming governors. Wamalwa has already declared publicly. Hon. Mbadi has declared publicly. Hon. Wanga has declared publicly. I wish that when those Members of Parliament become governors, we will see them being role models in terms of how to manage own revenue. It will be very bad if they go down to the counties and tell us that they will improve, then they end up doing the same. I have not forgotten my good friend, Hon. Makau. I support him a lot. I wish he becomes the Governor of Machakos because of what he has done for Mavoko Constituency. He would be able to improve on that. Even as I support this Bill, it is time we put issues of integrity where they belong in this country. At the end of the day, we should help Kenyans. My county is facing what we are currently discussing. They cannot collect revenue. At some point, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) found a lot of money in somebody’s house who is supposed to be collecting that money and putting it in the county revenue fund. But the money is in somebody’s house. You can see the kind of things we are talking about. Hon. Wanga, being the Chair of the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning, needs to spearhead some of those amendments so that we streamline the finance system in this country. With those remarks, I support the Bill."
}