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{
    "id": 1160892,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1160892/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 158,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Cheruiyot",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13165,
        "legal_name": "Aaron Kipkirui Cheruiyot",
        "slug": "aaron-cheruiyot"
    },
    "content": "not have county headquarters. We had four or five counties that we gave conditional grants to in the division of revenue of 2015. Increasingly, the National Treasury saw a loophole and they made sure that year in, year out, they increased figures. In fact, if you read through the Report of the Senate Committee on Finance and Budget, the one that we rejected in the Financial Year 2017/2018 was close to Kshs100 billion. We devolved Kshs316 billion in that particular financial year. However, out of that, Kshs70 billion or Kshs80 billion is in conditional grant. Somebody sat at the National Treasury without consulting the representatives of the people to allocate Kshs5 billion to Narok County, Kshs2 billion to Nyamira County and Kshs1 billion to another county at the whims of political expediency. We stood firm and said that this cannot be the case. All counties are equal. The Senate always rises higher than the normal political temperature of the country. We stand firm. Therefore, this matter cannot be let to fly easily. As Members of the Committee on Finance and Budget, we stand with the position taken by our Chairperson. That is the correct constitutional interpretation, unless Members of the National Assembly humble themselves, we negotiate and agree. Part of mediation is that we do not have to necessarily agree. However, by passing a parliamentary procedure while mediation is still ongoing, you have already brought before the House of Parliament your distribution for the next financial year and tell us that you do know when you will next agree. What is the hurry for? There is no constitutional or legislative timeline that we are in breach of. Therefore, we must stand firm as a House and ensure that we do the right thing. Finally, I do not want us to be casual about this issue. I do not know if Members know that by going into dalliance with the Executive, we have lost our independence and respect. We have sunk the lowest. Our members of staff nowadays look at us and cannot respect us, as Hon. Members, because of the shameful things that are being done. I want it to go on record. I know for a fact that when the Committee on Justice, Legal Affairs and Human Rights, led by Sen. Omogeni, was considering The Political Parties (Amendment) Bill, the Government Printer had already printed the version of the Bill. It was just awaiting signatures. I know everything that happened. I can give the trail of events. That is why they were asked not to change even a single comma. There are people who sit in big offices and know we are just a rubberstamp. There is nothing we can do."
}