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{
    "id": 1219106,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1219106/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 249,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Ganze, PAA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Kenneth Tungule",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for giving me this opportunity to contribute to this Motion. Before that, I also join my colleagues in wishing the women of Kenya a happy International Women’s Day. A special mention goes out to the women of Ganze, who are very hardworking and have borne the brunt of the hard life that they are experiencing there because of high levels of poverty and also effects of the current drought. The women of Ganze are very resilient because they wake up every morning and walk long distances to look for water and to do all kinds of menial jobs to fend for their families. In all those hardships, they have remained courageous, resilient and have maintained decorum. Therefore, special mention goes out to them as they celebrate this International Women’s Day. Coming back to the Motion, I want to support it as it is timely. The NG-CDF has done a lot of wonders in the constituencies. There are many projects that have been initiated and completed through the NG-CDF. As my colleagues have said, many regions in this country have been brought to par because of that Fund. There are many busybodies out there who have kept fighting that Fund. I think they are doing this for their own selfish benefits. The Fund has remained very vulnerable. It is high time as Parliament that we entrench it in the Constitution so that we can cushion it from those kinds of busy bodies. We have so many projects that are done through that Fund which are not funded through the counties. One of the arguments that have been fronted by people who are fighting it is that that Fund should go to the counties. We know that according to Schedule IV of the Constitution, there are those functions that were never devolved. It is those functions that are being taken care of by the NG-CDF right now. Once that Fund goes to the counties as those people are demanding, we will have no funds to take care of the functions that were never devolved. In the education sector, for example, counties only fund the pre-primary education. However, from primary schools all the way to tertiary institutions can be funded through the NG-CDF. We have seen many students benefitting from the NG-CDF bursaries. In an area like Ganze where I come from, the poverty levels are very high. Majority of the people out there depend on the NG-CDF bursaries to take their children to school. Once this is removed, then it means many people are not going to access education. I support the idea that the Fund needs to be entrenched in the Constitution so that we can protect it for posterity. The NGAAF is a fund that has brought a lot of dignity to the Office of the County Woman Representative. I remember this is an office that used to be ridiculed by many people. Some were alleging that County Woman Representatives are flower girls of MPs and Governors, and there is nothing that they were doing. Having this kitty to take care of the functions of the Women Representative office is also a timely thing to do. This is so that the County Woman Representative can deliver services to the wananchi going forward. I also support the Senate Oversight Fund. Having worked in the counties before I joined Parliament, I know that there is need for Senate to oversee what is happening in the counties. Many a times, Senators serve at the mercy of the governors to provide the oversight role. I am not intending to impute improper motives, but it is very easy for the governors to compromise Senators and, as a result, not provide oversight as they are required. If they have a fund of their 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."
}