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{
    "id": 1044351,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1044351/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 134,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Cherargei",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13217,
        "legal_name": "Cherarkey K Samson",
        "slug": "cherarkey-k-samson"
    },
    "content": "I agree that there are many Bills that are pending, and we hope that the Committees will fast track some of these issues that we believe in. We hope that the earth moves and earthquakes that we are experiencing as the Senate Majority Side, with many changes coming up--- I know it will be brought to your attention and will allow us to fast track the legislative business of the House. I hope, as a caucus - as we have been informed - we will endeavour to support where necessary, especially in the interest of Kenyans. Mr. Speaker, Sir, another issue - before I conclude to allow my colleagues to contribute - is on the matter of health. There is a Petition that we have already served to your office and I remember you gave direction on 27th December, 2020, when we were discussing the Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill. We hope the Committee on Health will move with speed and address the issue. Many Kenyans are forgetting that in some counties, most of the employees that work with health department have been victimized due to the strike and others have been sacked. I am aware of Meru County government where the medics have not been allowed to access their work places. There are many counties where the strike is still ongoing. There are many people who are still suffering. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I hope the Committee on Health - I have seen quite a number of Members here including Sen. Olekina who is a Member of the Committee on Health - will move and address the crisis that we are facing among the county health departments across the country. I hope this will be a priority to the Committee. Mr. Speaker, Sir, on the issue of the revenue sharing formula among counties, I have seen that the baseline for the Ministry of National Treasury and Economic Planning - now that we are going to Budget - is Kshs326 billion. It is very unfortunate. When you formed the Special Committee - I was privileged to be Member - we did agree that Kshs370 billion was the baseline. The Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA) which has the constitutional obligation provided direction that Kshs370 billion should be the baseline. I want to agree with our colleagues that we are not saying mkutano itaisha . However, we must agree on Kshs370 billion. Our counties need many resources. There are so many challenges. Our counties are struggling with wage bills. The other day, Nandi County was struggling with 58 per cent, and Nairobi City County is approaching at 57 per cent. It is a sorry state of affairs. Mr. Speaker, Sir, for devolution to work, we must endeavour to work with the National Treasury. We need another round of consultations. I hope this time around, as Sen. Mutula Kilonzo Jnr., the Minority Whip has said, we do not need to fight. We need to build consensus. We need to be optimistic. We have been told in some document called the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) that there is a chance of getting to the 35 per cent. We need to work to ensure that 15 per cent is achieved. We cannot even honour a presidential directive of Kshs370 billion and yet we had agreed that counties should get Kshs370 billion. Sen. Petronilla Were was the frontrunner then with the Senate Majority Whip who is facing many problems in his seat. 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."
}