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{
    "id": 1075836,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1075836/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 432,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Abdul M. Haji",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, thank you for giving me this opportunity to contribute to the report of the Standing Committee on Finance and Budget on County Allocation of Revenue Bill (Senate Bills No.30 of 2021). Looking at the recommendations of the committee on the issues of pending bills, I can only see recommendations on how to prevent accumulation of pending bills by county assemblies. How about pending bills accumulated by county governments to pay suppliers and contractors? This is a very important debate. I thought I could fulfill the duty which I owe to myself and my constituency and therefore I cannot let the subject pass over in silence. It must certainly not just pass upon the indulgence of this House. However, I cannot do this. Therefore, I am compelled to speak. I do sincerely believe the purpose of debating this is so that we exchange ideas on how to address financial issues. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, accumulation of the pending bills has been an issue of concern currently with the county governments unable to pay contractors and suppliers for goods and services supplied. This has resulted into contractors and suppliers pending years waiting for the bills to be settled but with little breakthrough. Some and many, I would believe have been waiting for more than six years. I urge the Standing Committee on Finance and Budget to find a way to include or compel the county governments to settle the pending bills of contractors and suppliers. In the process, they should find a way to rope in the county assemblies to have a role to approve the payments of the pending bills. The withdrawal must match the approval of the county assemblies. The county executives have failed the contractors and suppliers and have always been settling bills of the closest friends and proxies. Something has to be done to address this issue. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, thank you. That is my humble contribution and I support the Bill."
}