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{
    "id": 1123866,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1123866/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 283,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. (Prof.) Kamar",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 33,
        "legal_name": "Margaret Jepkoech Kamar",
        "slug": "margaret-kamar"
    },
    "content": "would get more contributions to the Bill. The proposals in this Bill are an act of generosity from the Senate and it still remains generosity from the Senate to allow the county governments to discuss the annual Division of Revenue Bill. That is because we Senators believe that devolution was not supposed to bring acrimony between the county governments and the Legislature. Devolution in itself should be self-regulating and that is why we have an accountability arm that is within the legislature, in particular, the Senate. We also have a spending unit called the Executive. If only we came to a clear understanding that devolution is not meant to create enemies but it is meant to create a harmonious way of developing our counties, then they would understand that it is very generous of the Senate to propose the forum in this Bill and take the views of the county government out of the annual Division of Revenue Bill and the County Allocation of Revenue Bill. We proposed that so that we do not pass the annual Division of Revenue Bill and the County Allocation of Revenue Bill in this House and then governors go to the press to discuss what we have discussed and passed in this House. This Bill is going to give county governments an opportunity to contribute on the same table where Senators sit to make laws that govern the counties. Appropriation from the Equalization Fund has caused a lot of debate and delay for a very long time because there is no forum to discuss it. The governors are busy making press statements while Senators are busy struggling to make things work. It is a very wrong understanding of what devolution was supposed to do. Devolution was meant to decentralize our resources and give us different levels of spending money in this county. Devolution was supposed to give us an opportunity to develop according to the needs of the county. Senators and Governors serve the interests of the counties. Our governors must understand that because they serve at the same level and unit with the Senators, we must all be aware of the developments that re on-going in the counties. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, most of what we are calling stalled projects, are those that were decided unilaterally by an individual or dictated as a reward to people who voted more for the governor. As the proposer of the Bill stated, it is a pity that the Senate discussed the issue of funding Level 5 hospitals – unfortunately my county does not have a Level 5 hospital. It was not understood as a good gesture from the Senate because our governors were always wondering why we are interested in the development of specific institutions yet the Senate also serves the interest of the counties. Our interest is to make sure that the county is developed. I therefore support and believe that when this law passes, this forum is going to turn around the development of our counties. The Senate is not trying to develop the counties in secrecy. We are not trying to develop the counties with tokenism from our governors. The money does not belong to anybody; we are all public servants and the money belongs to the county. The funds allocated to the counties are public funds. It is therefore upon all of us to make sure that the projects are selected properly and that we adhere to the integrated development plan to make sure that we fulfill what we promise in an annual plan. Most of the annual plans are meant to cover the eyes of those who go for the public participation forums but nobody follows the county government thereafter to ensure that things are done."
}