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{
    "id": 1120508,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1120508/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 338,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. (Dr.) Musuruve",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13188,
        "legal_name": "Getrude Musuruve Inimah",
        "slug": "getrude-musuruve-inimah"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker for giving me this opportunity to support this report that has been brought forward by Sen. Faki. It is good that it has been brought here. Article 204 of the Constitution speaks clearly on Equalization Funds. It is premised on the fact that the far-flung areas that are marginalized should enjoy the basic rights such as water, electricity and all the essentials that are in other areas. At one time, I was the Vice-Chair of the National Council of Nomadic Education in Kenya. Issues came up that there were no schools in North Eastern Kenya and that children were learning under trees and all that. There were sorry pictures that we were seeing. From the time the money started being disbursed, are there indicators of success in those areas. This is because in some of those areas one still sees children learning under trees and no water at all. If monies have been disbursed each year, what are the indicators of success? We cannot say we want an area to be equal to others but when money is taken there, you do not see any indicators of success. When we come to the Floor of this House and say there are not schools, water and that children are leaning under trees can we also have indicators of success since the Fund started going to those areas. I believe there is also lack of transparency in the manner in which these funds are being used. I am happy that this report speaks of ways of managing the funds that disbursed to those areas. There is need for oversight just to find out what is happening in those areas. If money has been disbursed for eleven years; what can we say as a House that those areas have achieved from the Equalization Fund? If those areas have not achieved anything, when the 20 years have passed, they will want to add 20 more years. This could be unfair because the Fund is supposed to move from point ‘A’ to ‘B’ to ‘C’. Areas that are marginalised should come up with a matrix of how the money has helped those areas in terms of schools, electricity, healthcare and developments that are supposed to reach the ‘ground’. Article 204 of the Constitution is well meaning, that all areas should have these basic necessities. It is not only the marginalised areas that people do not have electricity and access to roads. Where I come from, in Lugari, there are areas that do not have access to roads and are marginalised. The Equalisation Fund should have also been allocated to such areas that are far flung so that development reaches the common man everywhere. Electricity should also reach the common man everywhere."
}