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{
    "id": 1151219,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1151219/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 134,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. M. Kajwang’",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13162,
        "legal_name": "Moses Otieno Kajwang'",
        "slug": "moses-otieno-kajwang"
    },
    "content": "If you look at what has been proposed as a ceiling for county assemblies, it is close to 10 per cent of what is going to county governments. In some counties, it is close to 13 per cent. More money should go to development. Legislation and representation is important. However, at what point did we creep from 7 per cent all the way to 13 per cent? There is the Peter’s principle that says work expands to fit the time allocated. It is the same case with money. The more money you have, the more activities you want to undertake. We must revisit this issue of ceilings. In some county assemblies, it has been the reason for constant fights and constant ouster of clerks and speakers. At one point, the Speaker of the Senate made a decision to go do an outreach to county assemblies. Homa Bay County was one of the first county assemblies the Speaker had agreed to visit. When it came to visiting Homa Bay County, there was a fight. The Speaker was impeached and Members were punching each other because they were fighting for the money that was allocated to them. What the Senate has done is to introduce a ceiling that leaves such a big surplus that whoever is the Speaker or the Clerk becomes an instant billionaire if they are not checked properly. I hope that the next Senate will look at these ceilings. I want to thank the Committee on Finance and Budget for not budging when it comes to the ceilings. We as, a House, have always supported the county assemblies. Is strengthening the county assemblies’ equivalent to giving more money? I do not believe so. Mr. Speaker, Sir, of the 47 county assemblies, it does not make sense for each county assembly to attempt to replicate the Senate. I want to put the proposal that in our regional economic blocs, county assemblies must start looking at themselves from that perspective. If you are going to get some unique skills, for example, fiscal analysts or forensic auditors, you probably will not get 47 of them. You could organize or group yourselves so that some of those skills that are hard to come by like legislative drafters, for example, we do not have enough legislative drafters in this country to serve the 47 county assemblies and the National Assembly. So, it is foolhardy to say each county assembly wants an allocation that can make it look and function like the Senate. That has always been the argument for increased allocation for county assemblies. Strengthening county assemblies is about the people, the systems and the capacity to deliver. It is not just about money. Mr. Speaker, Sir, as I support this Bill, I would like to mention it has proposed to allocate to Homa Bay County close to Kshs8 billion. I am glad to note that because when I took over as the Senator for Homa Bay County, in the Financial Year 2014/2015, Homa Bay County was only getting Kshs4.9 billion."
}