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{
    "id": 1050050,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1050050/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 256,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Kibiru",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13196,
        "legal_name": "Charles Reubenson Kibiru",
        "slug": "charles-reubenson-kibiru"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker. I want to start by saying that I have been a Member of the CPAIC for the last many years. As I stand to support the adoption of the report, I am doing so from an informed position. Madam Temporary Speaker, as I do, I am a proud Senator from Kirinyaga County because I have seen the wonderful work the Members of County Assembly (MCAs) from Kirinyaga have done. Therefore, for all those who have agreed to pass BBI, heko kwenu . We are together all the way until we pass the Referendum Bill. I also note that the people of Tharaka Nithi where Sen. (Prof.) Kindiki comes from, also passed the BBI. The MCAs from that county, Hongera. Thank you, Professor for supporting BBI. Madam Temporary Speaker, as I continue, I want to say that having been in that Committee for long and having been a mortician, one of the biggest challenges that we have faced is to deal with the backlog. This morning, in the SBC, we impressed on the leadership to ensure that the 2014, 2015 and 2016 reports are adopted as fast as we can. We are in 2021 and we cannot be talking about 2013/2014 reports. Another challenge we faced in the CPAIC was how to deal with the complacent attitude that the governors displayed towards issues of audit. The audit process is very clear. There is the first meeting, the second meeting, a management letter, and a draft report. However, you get repeated issues over a period. You see a governor who has been there repeating the same issues. This is something the Senate needs to think about. If you are a governor, you must be held responsible to the extent that you should be signing the financial statements. In the private sector, organization Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and Directors sign to commit whatever has been prepared is the correct information as far as the auditors are concerned. Madam Temporary Speaker, a way forward is that governors must take the audit process very seriously. Some of the very glaring issues that are highlighted by the auditors can be avoided if the governors take their work seriously. We also have impressed on the Institute of Certified Public Accountants (ICPAK) to take punitive measures on their members who do not take the audit process seriously. We have seen very glaring and basic issues that they do not take up. Sometimes we spend a lot time looking into issues that do not merit the time of the Committee. Madam Temporary Speaker, Sen. Sakaja has mentioned something about own- source revenue. I hope and believe that other Senators have also mentioned issues about own-source revenue. The Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA) carried out research on the potential of most counties in the country. In terms of potential, most counties are meeting their potential by less than 30 per cent. As a Committee of Finance and Budget, one of the areas we have looked at is proposing amendments to the Public Finance Management (PFM) Act. When it comes to budgeting, let counties not have a wish list become luxurious so that they can commit contracts and suppliers based on unrealistic budgets. One of the recommendations we have made is that we need a moving target. Let us have a three-year average based on actual collections so that counties do not over budget. We have seen a county stating that they will collect Kshs300 million this year The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}