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{
    "id": 1078422,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1078422/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 546,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sirisia, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. John Waluke",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 2792,
        "legal_name": "John Waluke Koyi",
        "slug": "john-waluke-koyi"
    },
    "content": " I came late, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker. Thank you for giving me a chance to contribute to this Bill. My observation is that we were happy with devolution and hopeful county governments were going to help this country because money was going to be devolved to mashinani . But it is like we devolved money for people to eat, because people are crying all over the 47 county governments about corruption. The structures for the money to the county governments have not been there. People in the National Treasury put structures for the NG-CDF. Initially when the CDF started, Members of Parliament were controlling it. Later, the Government put structures to control the funds. In the case of devolution, the Government just left money to be controlled by governors. That is why money is being misused. If you check properly, the little money that constituencies get cannot be compared to the billions of shillings county governments get. Each constituency gets Kshs100 million and the work is seen. The money has done a lot of work and the public is happy with the way the NG-CDF is spent, yet it is very little money. Let me use the example of my county. The county government gets Kshs8 billion and it has nine constituencies that get Kshs900 million NG-CDF money. You cannot compare the development brought by the Kshs900 million with that of Kshs8 billion. We have used it properly and the result is seen on the ground. I support the passing of this Bill, but half-heartedly. The revenue collections before the county governments were created was a lot, but when we expect county governments have put in place better structures than county councils, collection is not there. We hear that they collect money and first take it to the governor’s house and then the little that remains is what they take to the Treasury. This is what happens. So, we urge the Government to put in place the same structures that it put in place to control the NG-CDF money, so that money to county governments can be controlled in a better way. Without structures, it is like the country is just donating money to make governors rich. Every governor has a lot of money. They have built or bought three to five big hotels. Where do they get all the money to buy all the property? The Constitution allowed governors to serve for 10 years, but if I was asked, a governor would serve for only one term. Those who are elected for two terms have really enriched themselves. Like the Budget and Appropriations Committee recommended, I support that the Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury should slow down releasing of money to county governments. He should not do it quickly as the county governments want. Even if there are pending bills, the CS should go slow the way he is doing, so that these people in one way or another, have some break. They are given so much money, but because there are no structures, the CS should go the way he is going even if the governors are complaining. With those few remarks, I support."
}