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{
    "id": 1123731,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1123731/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 148,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Olekina",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 407,
        "legal_name": "Ledama Olekina",
        "slug": "ledama-olekina"
    },
    "content": "This Committee’s work is very important. I hope that in future, we can expedite it. I plead with all the Senators to avail themselves. We have these legislations that are now waiting to be voted on so that they can go into the Third Reading and they can go back to the National Assembly. Some of these legislations had actually gone through this House. However, because of the sibling rivalry between the National Assembly and the Senate, we had to republish them. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the only way to really support these Committees is by ensuring that we follow through. I support the idea of reviving the Committee on Implementation. Earlier on, I rose on a point of order to find out whether those reports that were being tabled here and focused on those funds are in line with the decision that was made by the courts. There is no reason as to why we should be receiving reports to come here for the sake of coming, yet we cannot question them. We need to look at Section 35 of the Public Audit Act and the Constitution on the role of the auditor. We also need to support the auditors and give them more resources. Devolve these functions so that we do not lapse. That provision of three months is very important and if we see that we do not have the resources to carry out the audit within the three months, then we extend it. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I support this Committee. I hope that in the next quarter, they will also find a way to push PSC to assign resources, not only to use the in-House lawyers. Our in-House, lawyer are overstretched. Look and see whether we can get other lawyers from outside to support in defending this House so that it can be relevant. We were fighting for an opportunity under the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) and we know how that went in terms of the issue of accountability. If governors out there really care about this country, the future of the people who they go to on a daily, then they should not be afraid of accountability. They should not be running to courts. They have no moral authority to do that because we know how their audit reports look like. If this Senate cannot be allowed to oversight conditional grants, I call upon the donors who are giving that money to thoroughly audit those funds. Let those donors make it conditional that unless you go through the process thoroughly, account for every single penny and submit a report to Parliament, no more funds for you. You will see them become a little bit accountable. Finally, Mr. Speaker, Sir, I really want to remind the county assemblies that they are the first point of oversight. Please, do your job. MCAs should not just clap for the governors and follow them wherever they go. They should ask them questions. That is"
}