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{
    "id": 1066234,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1066234/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 200,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Kihika",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13216,
        "legal_name": "Susan Wakarura Kihika",
        "slug": "susan-wakarura-kihika"
    },
    "content": "You cannot tell us that we need to amend the Constitution to appease two people. It is their problems and not that of this country. I completely disagree with that, that we need a constitutional amendment to avert bitterly contested elections. That, my friends, is the nature of democracy. If you are not up to it, then stay away from the kitchen. Do not run for anything, go and sell ice cream. That may be the best career. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, as for the 35 per cent to counties, we know that right now the 15 per cent under the Constitution is the floor and not the ceiling. If the Government had goodwill, it would give counties even 40 per cent. My point is yes, some time in future, it will be good to put it in the Constitution but right now, it is not a priority. The Government can give more. The Government is broke and as we stand, it has been even unable to give 15 per cent to counties. They are owed almost Kshs100 billion. When you tell me about quickly putting 35 per cent in the Constitution, first show goodwill by giving the 15 per cent and then next year maybe put 20 or 25 per cent and then I will believe that you can do it. We had a Ward Development Fund (WDF) Bill by Sen. Kang’ata of Murang’a County. If we really had goodwill and wanted to make sure that we entrench that devolution and come up with WDF, the two hand-shake principals could call their MPS and WDF would not be gathering dust in the National Assembly but would instead be passed. We would then not need to discuss that as a constitutional amendment as it will be in the law. I support county assemblies and not governors controlling their own funds. As a former speaker, I know how crazy that gets. Governors use that as a stick and carrot. We could do that as a legislation by both the National Assembly and the Senate. I do not believe there is anything urgent at this point, requiring a constitutional amendment. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I stand here to oppose these constitutional amendments. There are some good things in it but even if you bake a nice cake with a little bit of poison, it will still kill you and you will not eat it. I oppose."
}