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{
    "id": 1186018,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1186018/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 263,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Oketch Gicheru",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Over the last two years, we have seen the menace of locusts in different places. The aftermath is still affecting a few areas in this country. This Bill will seek to address that. I want to invite all Members of the House to pay keen attention to this Bill. We will be tabling the report soon through the leadership of Sen. Ali Roba. Then we can fastrack the Bill to make sure our people get additional money to help them deal with these issues. Lastly, having been a Member of this Committee, one of the things that has been very irritable to me is not the formula of sharing these monies. One of the biggest factors that has frustrated us in the Committee is the fact that counties do not receive these monies on time. The allocations are passed; laws are created but money does not go to counties. For instance, in the Equalisation Fund, we realized that there were lots of monies that were never put aside by National Treasury to be given to the counties that are in need and are deserving. Yet, these are issues of humanity. I urge the House to find a mechanism through the Bill on how we can compel if not encourage the national Government to release these funds to counties. I hope Sen. Ali Roba will invite a few caucuses The delay in the receiving of funds in the counties brings lots of problems. Today if our counties are not able to pay the workers, you will find a county borrowing money from the bank. It is sad that our counties are crowding out the Small and Medium Enterprises(SMEs) in terms of borrowing in the counties which should not happen since, this is where the current Government is seeking to induct some policies that can build SMEs. When these counties borrow these monies, they end up being fined or paying more interest on the loans without clarity from the national Government or the Senate on how they are going to pay the fines. Who pays for the loans if counties are not getting their allocation and are borrowing and paying high interest on the loans? We will end up shrinking the amount of money that the functions we are keen on supporting in the grassroots should get. I plead with the chairperson of this Committee, who is my friend and my very good mentor, to find a way that above just the allocation of the funds, the monies will reach the counties. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, with this I thank you and support the Motion in the House Today."
}