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{
    "id": 1126931,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1126931/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 410,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Funyula, ODM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. (Dr.) Wilberforce Oundo",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13331,
        "legal_name": "Wilberforce Ojiambo Oundo",
        "slug": "wilberforce-ojiambo-oundo-2"
    },
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker. When I perused through this Bill, I found so many contradictions and issues that do not really align it to the Constitution. Initially, the Bill came as one, but I think after the ruling by the High Court, it became necessary to segregate the conditional grants from unconditional grants. This was meant for the national Government to transfer funds to the various counties and, therefore, address specific needs of Kenyans living in those counties. A very clear example is: at the advent of devolution many counties did not have decent headquarters. So, over the years the national Government, through the Division of Revenue Bill, has always allocated funds for the purpose of constructing and completing county headquarters. On Universal Health Care (UHC), we know health is central to this country. Therefore, many of us believe this might have informed the national Government to basically transfer funds for the purpose of leasing equipment for medical services. The Bill has a progressive approach but I want to pick out a few issues. First, the title is misapplied because the money being granted is both national funds and funds through loans guaranteed by the national Government. Based on the schedules provided, the money in form of loans is a whooping Ksh32 billion while that in form of conditional grants is Ksh7.5 billion. So, essentially, these are not county generated funds, rather they are funds generated and guaranteed by the national Government. The title of the Bill must speak to this reality and not confuse Kenyans to believe that these funds have been generated by the counties to be shared amongst themselves. It is as if they generate anything much. So, that is the first issue. Secondly, if you read through the Bill, you realise that it will be an annual Bill. I wonder and ask: what will happen in a financial year where the national Government has no intention at all to give conditional grants to or secure loans for the county governments? This is an area that needs to be addressed. I believe that the Committee and its legal team will help us address this particular concern. This is because it is actually at the benevolence of the national Government; it can choose to do so, or not to. The Bill proposes amendments to the Public Finance Management (PFM) Act. In Clause 8, it seeks to amend Section 42 of the PFM Act to assume that Parliament shall consider the Division of Revenue Bill, the County Allocation of Revenue Bill and another Bill for the allocation and transfer of conditional and unconditional grants under Article 202 of the Constitution. This should be within 30 days after the Bills have been introduced. It might be important that we review this particular clause at the Committee of the whole House. I believe we will be ably guided by the Committee that is handling the matter."
}