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{
    "id": 1068926,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1068926/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 144,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. (Eng.) Maina",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 75,
        "legal_name": "Ephraim Mwangi Maina",
        "slug": "ephraim-maina"
    },
    "content": "At the same time, the then District Commissioner who was in charge of the present day counties had various departments: agriculture, health, security and roads. All those departments were coordinated from the district headquarters. In Nyeri County, the District Works Officer used to deal with matters of local roads. This is the same idea we have tried to introduce. In this House and even the country, we have been talking of corruption. According to the records and all the reporting that has been done, you will note that 80 per cent of the resources that go to the counties does not end up being used efficiently and for the intended purpose. We must and we should have come up with a framework that will ensure that the resources vote here, that we fight for here are used efficiently to benefit the ordinary man. If you go anywhere in this country, you will see a lot of construction works going on. There is construction of houses, mortuaries, classrooms, feeder roads and so on. There is construction of all manner of things from fences to putting up flowerbeds all over to beautify various offices in the counties. All this is happening, but when you go to dispensaries, there are no medicine. All this is happening while some children are not in school because of lack of school fees. Therefore we need a framework. Personally, I have felt very uneasy voting for a huge amount of money to go to counties and yet we have no control over it. This House has felt quite comfortable to just leave things as they are even during constitutional-making when we had various disciples to talk on our behalf. This House should be empowered to do its work. It is not the amount of money that will eradicate poverty and the suffering of the common people in our country, but it is the management and the conscious commitment to the welfare of man. Even after passing this Bill there is need to ensure that Senate is really here for devolution. You are not here just to vote for money to go to be wasted and stolen. For example, they spend it on trips abroad. This House should have a system linked to the Attorney-General where we can be making sure that any cent voted here goes to the right use."
}