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{
    "id": 1231414,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1231414/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 268,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Cheruiyot",
    "speaker_title": "The Senate Majority Leader",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13165,
        "legal_name": "Aaron Kipkirui Cheruiyot",
        "slug": "aaron-cheruiyot"
    },
    "content": "We should not have funds pilfered by the various administrations that are in our county governments. Also, ensure that at least the financial operations of each of our counties are as per the dictates of our Constitution. If you check, there is an increasing trend, unfortunately, that because the National Treasury is not releasing funds in a timely manner to our county governments, they are entering into financial arrangement with various financial institutions. This is the same problem that we are now facing with the national Government. If you are not careful, Senators, and I plead that you listen to me. If you do not keep a close eye to the financial operations of your county, this same debt problem we are dealing with at the national Government, very soon in two to three financial years, you will find it in your counties. Do not allow your governors to sign financial agreements with commercial banks at very exorbitant rates without the approval of the various county assemblies even if it is for salaries. Demand to know as the Senator of that particular county at what interest rate they are paying. This is because, if it is just a reimbursement of salaries, yet I have made you--- Banks should be reasonable. For example, I may give you the financial responsibility as a financial institution and I have asked of you operate for us the bank accounts of county X, Y and Z. We know counties on their own are governments. They have their own securities in the sense that you are sure that they will receive this funding. A good financial institution should be able to top up some money at least for salaries for the financial operations of a county without demanding that they are paid any interest in it. Is that not what happens with those that run businesses in this town? If you have a commercial relationship with a bank and they know that for one reason or the other you are falling short of your monthly dues, yet they know that you have done work and you are going to be paid, do they not top up in form of an overdraft, without necessarily demanding the exorbitant rates that we see counties being charged? Therefore, I urge you, colleague Senators, to keep a close eye on the financial operations of your counties. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I do not intend to be longer than that because I want to give our colleague, Senators, an opportunity to speak on Bill. I know all of them have one or two things that they want to say. I have read the report of the Committee on Finance and Budget on the things that they want to propose before us on variation and increase of the same. I have spoken on it earlier on the competing needs between county governments and the national Government. We must be firm about it and speak to it. With those very many remarks, I beg to move and request Sen. (Dr) Khalwale, the Senator for Kakamega, to Second. I thank you."
}