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{
    "id": 1169913,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1169913/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 93,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kipipiri, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Amos Kimunya",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 174,
        "legal_name": "Amos Muhinga Kimunya",
        "slug": "amos-kimunya"
    },
    "content": "We also approved the formula that came from the Senate last time, which is the basis we are using. Since the same figures have been applied consistently between last year and this year, then we do not have much of a choice, but to concur. Ours was to ensure the formula is applied as decided by Parliament. Since that has been done, I am happy to recommend to this House to approve the County Allocation of Revenue Bill, together with the Appropriation Bill that we have passed so that they can be the basis of appropriating monies to the national Government and county governments. I want to echo the words of the Chair of the Budget and Appropriations Committee. When you go across the countryside and talk to young traders and contractors, you will realise that most of them supply the counties. The counties have been giving all manner of reasons why they should not pay for the services provided. Many pending bills are also crippling businesses out there. It started in 2017 with some governors who came in saying that they would not honour the obligations of governors who had been voted out until they conduct some comprehensive audits. Those comprehensive audits were completed, but people have still not been paid. I would not like to name the counties because I might be travelling through them, and I want to be safe. In almost every county, there are bills which have not been paid to some of these young contractors. Now that we are getting into another election cycle, if we do not honour those obligations of 2017 and before, some governors will lose, new governors will come in, and the same story will be restarted with the new governors saying that they will not pay the obligations of the previous regime until they have done an audit. The cycle will continue. The sufferer is the Kenyan contractor who has provided goods and services and is now being auctioned by banks because county governments have delayed payments. I urge county governments to honour those obligations. Let us not create unnecessary poverty in the country through non-payment of obligations that were legitimately contracted by whichever government that was in office because it will also happen in future."
}