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{
    "id": 1161538,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1161538/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 134,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Olekina",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 407,
        "legal_name": "Ledama Olekina",
        "slug": "ledama-olekina"
    },
    "content": "Madam Temporary Speaker, thank you for the giving me an opportunity to support this timely Bill, the Division of Revenue Bill (National Assembly Bills No. 8 of 2022). This is the sole reason I must argue while in this House. We are here to defend the interests of our counties and their governments, to ensure that we represent people who elected us and give them an opportunity to be served by their government. I am quite proud of this Senate even though today it is quite empty. I might be the only one standing here now but the reason why I came to contribute to this Bill on the division of revenue is because of the solid work that the distinguish Senators from the entire 47 counties including the nominated senators did to ensure that counties get their money. I am so happy that we remained adamant to force for an increase of the money which is allocated to the counties. If there is anything that we will be remembered in history and credited for, is having fought for devolution. As I support this Bill, I am quite pleased that over a period of about 5 years, the money that has been going to counties as well as the money that has been left in the national government has steadily increased. If you compare what was allocated to counties way back in the year FY2018/2019, it was about Kshs371 billion in total. That is not the correct figure. Let me get the correct figure. Sorry, we are getting old so the font is quite small but I will get the right figure. What makes me happy is that this and last year, we have increased revenue from Kshs327 billion to Kshs370 billion. What bothers me is that there is additional revenue, which could have been sent to the county governments in terms of conditional grants, but the money is still stuck at the National Treasury because the Senate and the National Assembly have not agreed to come up with a legislation that can support how the money is going to be distributed. It is important for Kenyans to know - I will be specific that since devolution started, the amount of money that has been sent to the county government of Narok is around Kshs71.6 billion. Narok County has received about Kshs2.29 billion from the National Government-Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF) for the constituency offices. Those Funds have helped. I hope that in the FY 2022/2023 budget, the money allocated for the youth in the Division of Revenue Bill--- Looking at and evaluating the Bill against Article 203 of the Constitution, there is about Kshs14.67 billion. Even though we do not expect everybody in this country to be treated equally, I hope there will be some form of equity. If you look at the amount of money that has supported the youth since devolution started, the money that has gone to Narok County is only Kshs5.48 million. If this time around we are solid and have some form of equity, when you divide Kshs14.6 billion equally amongst the 47 counties, Narok residents will get at least Kshs312 million that can support the youth projects."
}