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{
    "id": 1057151,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1057151/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 211,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Mutula Kilonzo Jnr.",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13156,
        "legal_name": "Mutula Kilonzo Jnr",
        "slug": "mutula-kilonzo-jnr"
    },
    "content": "they the same people who we will rely on to check when they are collecting money from the same governors? It is a shame and I am disappointed that while we put in a lot of effort in this endeavour chances are that we will not get much from the Members of the County Assemblies (MCAs) in so far as audit is concern. The things that the Auditor General flags, for example, I raised this concern last week, a document has been tabled here on COVID-19 funds and the Committee on Health has not moved a notice of Motion to adopt the report of the Auditor General. The document is here. The document was supposed to be tabled by the Committee led by Sen. Sakaja and later read by Sen. Kasanga. Why is it that we have to wait in a pandemic, to audit the mismanagement of COVID-19 funds by Makueni County at the Senate level? Why has the Assembly not noticed? In my case, we are supposed to have received 25,000 masks. Who saw the masks? Who should have asked the question fundamentally on where the masks were? The county assemblies have not asked this question. My dear colleagues, I am afraid devolution is going to fall on the sword of mismanagement. I was glad yesterday to tell some people that I am glad the money we fought for so hard in ‘Team Kenya’ and others is going to come out in the next financial year. If it had come out in this financial year, these governors would have spent it doing nonsensical things. It is unfortunate. These matters must be done at a technical level. I represented the former Governor of the Central Bank, Governor Mulei, who came up with a system, but eventually he was charged for it. The system was able to plug into the banking system and find out the misdemeanours, malfeasance and malpractices of the bank. That is how Charterhouse Bank is the only bank that was closed with money on it, because of a system. The people who disclosed this information became USA citizens before the information was made public. They had to run away. Can we have a system similar in counties? I am completely satisfied that the governors are doing paperwork. The County of Makueni received an unqualified opinion. They have become experts in drafting good documents. When you go to Makueni and ask is there value for money, they will tell you there is no value for it. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, the Auditor-General now writes a report and says the Kalamba Fruit Factory in Makueni County is a loss making factory. This done six years down that line after it was constructed after it has spent more than a billion shillings. Audits are supposed to pick these things in advance. The auditor is supposed to pick the business plan. Where is the business plan for factories here and there? Kitui County has a similar factory called Kitui County Textile Centre (KICOTEC). We do not want to hear stories seven years down the line that this was a white elephant after money has been spent. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, we must accept our title, Senators, that we are morticians. There is nothing we can do. We will lament and that book must be read continuously in this House. We will lament and nothing can be done. The auditors seem not to have capacity to pick these things. I have heard stories. I can repeat them on record here that some counties have pocketed some auditors and, therefore, the reports are just shady. 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."
}