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{
    "id": 1064207,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1064207/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 317,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Olekina",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 407,
        "legal_name": "Ledama Olekina",
        "slug": "ledama-olekina"
    },
    "content": "much people can get. Is this realistic? They argument they make is that we have the issue of Equalization Fund. Madam Deputy Speaker, let me once again disabuse Kenyans of the illusion that this Equalization Fund actually helps. Currently, we have hospitals which were built, funded by that Equalization Fund. However, they are not in operation. The people who are supposed to have benefited never benefited. Therefore, when you tell us that you are increasing the term, first of all, show us the money. Tell us what happened to the money that had been set aside? Madam Deputy Speaker, when we talk about the structure of governance, one thing that baffles me and the question that comes to mind is: Does creating new levels of government – increasing the number of representation in this Parliament – solve our problems? The answer is ‘no’. When you look at it, the promoters of this Bill do not even want workers to be represented in Parliament. That is why they have sought to amend Article 97 (c) and do away with the provision of allowing workers to be represented here. I do not know what hon. Sossion and hon. Omboko who represent workers in the National Assembly or even Mr. Atwoli, who on a daily basis, talks about the rights of workers will say about this. He had a beautiful chance and the Constitution, 2020, had given him that chance. Madam Deputy Speaker, the last thing that questions that motive of this Bill is the role of Parliament once again in terms of oversighting the Executive. Now, there is an amendment to Article 154, which brings up the issue of removing the vetting of Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries. We have a very difficult time right now oversighting the Cabinet Secretaries. When you do not give Parliament the power to vet them, will we not just be brewing a lot of impunity and corruption? What happens to the issue of integrity in this country? Madam Deputy Speaker, I am a firm believer that coming up with the proposal to amend the Constitution, when you have not even implemented the first Constitution that we fought so hard for, you become an escapist and not a person who wants to help this country. We need to think about the future generation in this country. We can create many goodies. We can actually say that a MCA will be in the Executive. We will have taken away that checks and balances system in the devolved system of governance. This is because an MCA, who can become a County Executive Committee Member (CECM) will just team up with the governor, and when oversighting the governor, they will just collude. I would want us to be very critical. I would want to be convinced that, first of all, interfering with the Judiciary will help this country move forward. Secondly, whether interfering with the role of Parliament will help this Government go forward. I am not saying that there is nothing good in this Bill. There are many good things that can be amended. I want to end with the following words. Whether I vote for this Bill or not, the Constitution as it stands, gives the last word to Kenyans. I am here to inform Kenyans, as their representative, and point out areas I think are wrong. Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker."
}