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{
    "id": 1186000,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1186000/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 245,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Olekina",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 407,
        "legal_name": "Ledama Olekina",
        "slug": "ledama-olekina"
    },
    "content": "size or the number of people but wisdom prevailed in this House. We divided the money following a formula that all of us developed in order to support our counties. During the debate, when we were all fighting for about Kshs342 billion, we received some information that our money had been increased to Kshs370 billion. So, all of us were excited. Little did we know that all conditional grants were now being calculated as part of the division of revenue for us to get about Kshs370 billion. When we had gone through the Budget Policy Statement (BPS) and when we were considering the Division of Revenue Bill, to divide revenue between the two levels of government, that is when it dawned on us that the reason the money had gone up to Kshs370 billion, based on the formula had been approved by this House, was because the National Treasury and all the people who were fighting had hatched a plot which took into account all the conditional grants in the formula. A big debate started and it ended up in litigation. Finally, the court agreed with the Senate that you can co-mingle the funds or divide conditional grants. That is why we came up with a law. I am giving this background because I was sitting here and listening to the Majority Whip, Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale, seconding the Bill. He, however, deviated completely and started talking about Marginalization Funds. I knew it is important for us to talk about the Equalization Fund and that is why this Bill is important. This is the Bill that is going to support us. I thank the Supreme Court for giving this Senate the authority to oversight these Funds. Members of the Senate and the National Assembly used to fight on even the title of this Act. Initially, it was called Conditional Grants Bill. However, we agreed to refer to it as the County Governments Additional Allocations Bill. So, the importance of this Bill is double-fold. Firstly, it will aid this Senate to carry out its oversight mandate. Secondly, it is also to ensure that, every year when we deal with the Division of Revenue Bill, or when the National Assembly makes the budget, we can also consider more money going to the counties. That is money that comes in form of grants, loans from the World Bank (WB) and donations. The Bill is very clear. The title is; the County Governments Additional Allocations Bill. That is different from the Division of Revenue Bill or the County Allocation of Revenue Bill. The reason I stand here to support this Bill is because Narok County will get an additional Kshs512 million. There is a clear schedule and I hope it is in this Bill because I am debating based on that memory. I invite the Majority Whip, Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale, to look at page 69. If you look at page 69, the total amount that Narok County will get is Kshs1 billion. That is why I am excited, because it will be more than Kshs8 billion that we receive based on the Division of Revenue Bill. Kakamega, where my good friend comes from, will get a lion’s share. Which number is Kakamega County? Please, always use large fonts kwa sababu nimeanzakuzeeka . That is for the Equalization Fund. However, there will be additional revenue allocation in terms of grants."
}