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{
    "id": 1219103,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1219103/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 246,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sigor, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Peter Lochakapong",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for giving me this chance and opportunity to add my voice to this Motion. At the outset, I wish all the women of Kenya a happy International Women’s Day. I support the proposal to amend the Constitution at this particular time. By entrenching the NG-CDF in the Constitution, we will avoid the many court cases that we have seen in the recent past. This will sort out those who have been very busy engaging in that kind of activity and extorting people through that process. Everybody in this country appreciates that from its inception to date, the NG-CDF has done a lot. The NG-CDF has brought many parts of this country closer in terms of development and made them equal. This is because we share our national Government revenue to every constituency on an almost an equal basis, which is a good thing. We have put up classrooms, security installations in terms of police posts and houses, and chiefs’ offices using the NG- CDF, which have enabled administrators at the lower level to perform their work well. Ensuring that we move on with the NG-CDF without any interference from any quarter is a good idea. Entrenching the NGAAF in the Constitution is also a welcome move. Just like the NG-CDF, NGAAF is also doing good work within our constituencies and counties. The Senate Oversight Fund will enable Senators to oversight resources that are sent from the national Government to counties without being compromised. As it is now, chances are that to a great extent, and because of limitation of resources, Senators are unable to effectively oversight whatever resources have been appropriated to counties. Creating an oversight fund for Senators will empower and facilitate them, and they will have no excuse while overseeing whatever resources counties will receive. Therefore, this is a good idea and I support it. Hon. Temporary Speaker, we have on very many occasions attempted to pass the two- thirds gender rule in this House with no success. The proposal to amend the Constitution so that we can effectively achieve the two-thirds gender rule through a proposed formula is a welcome idea. We will now sort out what we have been unable to do for the last 10 or so years. It is, therefore, important that all of us support this proposal so that we achieve the two-thirds gender rule in this House. Amending the Standing Orders so that CSs come and answer Questions that are of concern or affect the people of Kenya is also a good idea. Many times, when CSs appear before Committees, they just answer the Question as it is presented to them. They may sometimes not be prepared to answer any follow-up questions. The mere fact that CSs will know that they are appearing before this House will make them prepare adequately and will ensure that each CS knows a lot about his or her ministry. This is so that should there be follow-up questions, that CS will be more than prepared to answer them appropriately while in the House. Many times when Committee Chairpersons are taken to task over matters in terms of follow-up questions on Questions that have been raised in this House, they have never been able to answer them. They always request for time to consult. If CSs come here themselves, some of these things will be addressed on the Floor of the House almost immediately. That is a very good idea and it tells you how much this Government is willing to be accountable to Kenyans. Having CSs appearing in the House shows that the Government has nothing to fear in terms of being accountable to the people of this Republic. That is welcome. Finally, the proposal to create the Office of the Leader of Official Opposition is a good thing. That office should be facilitated and financed through public funds. Therefore, whenever the Leader of Official Opposition wants to undertake programmes, projects or do anything else, we will know where we to find him. It will not be like the current situation where even if you wanted to engage him, you may not really know where to find him. I believe that now that, that office will be facilitated and financed through public funds, it will be more accountable. This The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}