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{
    "id": 111374,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/111374/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 329,
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    "content": "Again, we have a new system of courts with one that will specifically take care of land and environment issues. This is very good as you know, most of the contentious issues now relate to land and the environment. Still on this, they have provisions for the process of appointment of Judges, the Chief Justice and his deputy. This process, according to me, will be competitive but it still needs Parliament approval. I support that provision. I support the provision on devolved governments because we have been talking about devolution of funds and everything. What is contained in the Draft Constitution is a devolved government with the counties and the national Government. Sometimes, I am torn between the two with those who are advocating for the creation of regional governments. While it could be good because that would be enhancing devolution, I ask myself the question: Right now, having looked at what we went through after the 2007 elections, is this country ripe for that kind of balkanization? Devolution is good and I support it but I want to go on record that it is my opinion - I was in Nairobi and I know what took place. This country is not currently ripe for that kind of balkanization because the memories of 2008 are still too fresh in the memories of our people. Clustering them together and telling them that now, you have your own cluster with your own people, with those who are responsible and you can visit as far as you can go, they will separate themselves from the national Government and we might end up with more problems. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, it is my honest opinion that while this provision is good, let us have the provisions as contained in the Draft that was presented by the Committee of Experts which contains the counties and the national Government for the sake of our people and the avoidance of insecurity. I want now to make a comment on the provisions contained on public finance. What impresses me most under this is that they have now put in place institutions that will control the use of public money. That is one thing that if this Government can put in place and implement effectively that any member of the society is able, not just to access information but to interrogate the use and allocation of public money, I think this will solve the problem of suspicion of people thinking that they are either marginalized or left out of the national cake. I support this. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, secondly, I support what is contained in this Draft because they have separated the roles of the Auditor-General and Controller of Budget. That is not happening now. Putting this in place, now having the roles of Auditor-General and Controller of Budget creates checks and balances from one institution to the other. the Auditor-General can now be checked by yet another institution and I support that fully. Currently, you cannot interrogate the Auditor-General. So, whether he makes mistakes or is not transparent in certain things, that cannot be put to question. Another provision that I support fully under the provisions on public finance is that they have created a process on equitable sharing of revenue. The process is very clear as contained in the Draft Constitution and when you read through, you can actually see that even a layman, given the knowledge that this is what we have for this year, you can almost calculate how much will go to Nairobi, this county and the other county. This is very good. We are not leaving this now in the hands of a few people who might use other avenues to make decision about which region gets what."
}