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{
    "id": 1186149,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1186149/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 394,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Wambua",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13199,
        "legal_name": "Enoch Kiio Wambua",
        "slug": "enoch-kiio-wambua"
    },
    "content": "Article 204(3) of the Constitution states clearly that appropriation will be done by Parliament. According to the Constitution, when you talk about Parliament, it refers to the National Assembly and the Senate. It has been said and I am in full support that we need to move in speed. I want to challenge the Chair of the Committee on Finance and Budget to move with speed and bring a legislation to actualize Equalization Funds separately from additional allocations to counties. When that happens, if it will happen, this Senate needs to agree on the distribution of the Fund. Initially when I joined the Senate in 2013, there were only 14 counties that were supposed to benefit from the Equalization Fund. Unfortunately, by that time, Kitui County was not poor or marginalised enough to make to the list. We had intense conversations with Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA); we pushed and pulled. We now have a list of 34 counites. Madam Temporary Speaker, what has happened is that, the CRA has decided that in these counties that have been listed as marginalised and deserving of the marginalization fund, they will choose villages within the counties that should benefit. When that time comes, if Sen. Roba will bring that Bill before this House, we will need to relook at those villages that have been picked by CRA to benefit from the Equalisation Fund. Madam Temporary Speaker, in my county, I have villages and wards that are seriously marginalised that - even those villages that are naturally marginalized - call them marginalised. That is the extend of marginalization in those villages, but they have not been picked as villages that should benefit from this fund. I have many of those villages, especially in Tharaka Ward of Mwingi North Constituency. That is a conversation we need to have. That is why I propose that we completely delete Clause 6 from this Bill and have a separate conversation about the Equalisation Fund. The second issue is on the First Schedule which is talking about counties that are seen in Column B which are supposed to be allocated funds for the construction of county headquarters. We must be truthful to ourselves in this House and to the country. My take is that the only thing that Column B of the First Schedule does for me is an automatic invitation of the Senate CPAIC to summon governors in those counties. Allow me to mention those counties. Isiolo County has been allocated Kshs102 million, Lamu County, Kshs24 million; Nyandarua County, Kshs121 million; Tana River County, Kshs104 million; and Tharaka Nithi County, Kshs103 million. In total, Kshs454 million has been allocate for the construction of county headquarters. Madam Temporary Speaker, this far that we have come, more that 10 years into devolution, it is a shame - let me just call it what it is - that there are some county governments that have not yet constructed their headquarters and that money continues to be allocated to them, for the construction of county headquarters. It is my considered view that the conversation that we should be having in this Senate at this time is allocation of special funds for the construction of Senators offices in the counties. That is a fresher conversation that we could engage in and not talk about"
}