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{
    "id": 1238189,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1238189/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 239,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Olekina",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 407,
        "legal_name": "Ledama Olekina",
        "slug": "ledama-olekina"
    },
    "content": "(a) shall not stop the transfer of funds for more than sixty days; and---” Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, when I see a report in this Senate indicating that the COB had received a caveat set by the EACC, I begin to question our understanding of the rule of law. EACC cannot stop any money from being sent to a county. The Constitution is clear. The maximum they can stop, if there are any reasons is 60 days. If we read Article 225, it is clear who can stop that money and for what period of time. I want us to try and understand and demystify the issues on this Statement, which the House has been called to consider. Do we have the power to compel the people of Tharaka Nithi to complete their projects? I dare say, we do not. The only thing we have is the power to send money to the people of Tharaka Nithi. The people of Tharaka Nithi in their Annual Development Plan and in their County Integrated Development Plan, planned on how they can build their county. One of the problems I am seeing here is the problem of interests. Sitting on the Floor of this House for the last six years and having been a member of the then CPAIC, I was privy to information of Tharaka Nithi’s accounts. The Governor of Tharaka Nithi County once surrendered himself to the EACC because of corruption. He even spent one or two nights in jail. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the issue here is corruption. How do we deal with it? The issue here is one Arm of Government being used to derail development in a county. For instance, if this matter was taken to court and injunction said that the money cannot be spent, then we would have to find out how to interpret that. According to the Public Finance Management (PFM) Act, our counties operate on cash basis of accounting and not accrual. Tharaka Nithi County has got two towns of interests; Chuka and Kathwana. From the basic research I have done, Chuka Town has only about 20,000 people while Kathwana has 65,000. When it comes to basic logic, which town would better serve people? Is it a town that has 20,000 people or should services be moved to a town that has over 65,000 people? It is a basic thing. The MCAs of Tharaka Nithi County should listen carefully. They have the power and they are the ones who pass the budget. Pass it and from the allocation, ensure your development is to move you from mabati structures to a decent assembly that shall accommodate all the 26 elected and the nominated MCAs. The people who are failing at their job here is not EACC or CoB, but the MCAs. I want to challenge them."
}