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{
    "id": 1245543,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1245543/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 257,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Osotsi",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13588,
        "legal_name": "Osotsi Godfrey Otieno",
        "slug": "osotsi-godfrey-otieno"
    },
    "content": "This is because some counties have not been remitting money and the Controller of Budget does very little in this case. We will soon be bringing a report here and we want the Senate to rise to the occasion on that day to say that it is important for these people to be paid all their money even if it requires us to insist that that money has to be drawn from the equitable sharable revenue to the counties. Madam Temporary Speaker, when we talk about agriculture and health, my friend here is saying that those functions should be taken back to the national Government. I think this is not the right House for the likes of Sen. Cherarkey, who is supposed to protect counties and yet he is coming here to tell us that services should be taken back to the national Government. This is a clear testimony that we have a problem. We cannot be complaining about health not working in our counties and yet the bulk of the money is at the national level. Why can we not get all that money to our counties and when they fail, we can raise our voice? We have left the money in agriculture and health at the national level and then we keep joining the choruses of those who are saying that health should go to the national level, when we have something to do about it. Madam Temporary Speaker, when you talk about the Finance Bill, I know it is a money Bill. The Constitution does not allow us to debate it. I think we need to relook at the Constitution because if the Senate is going to pass the Division of Revenue Bill and the County Allocation of Revenue Bill, why should we not participate in the Finance Bill? This is because even the provisions in this Bill are going to be affected by the provisions in the Finance Bill. I have seen one county that has raised concerns about the housing levy and said that the money given to them will not be enough because they will be required to pay housing levy, the 3 per cent employer element. As much as we are saying that we are not involved in the Finance Bill, I think as part of our reset of the Senate, it is important for us to participate fully in the budget making process so that we can be very effective as a Senate and perform our role under Article 96 in the best way possible. Madam Temporary Speaker, Sen. Cherarkey, my neighbor, has said that they will not amend even a comma in that Bill. I want to tell him that Parliament has procedures. Why would you take this Bill for public participation to ask Kenyans to give you views when you are not going to amend even a comma? Are you trying to tell us that we are running away from our legislative duties and listening to the Executive on everything? That Finance Bill in the form that it is in, it is going to kill Kenyans and this country. I want to ask my former colleagues in the National Assembly not to pass that Bill as it is because that Bill is very destructive, corrupt and it will not help this country. With those very many remarks, because of time, I support this Bill with the amendments that will come at the Committee of the Whole so that our counties can get the money that they are supposed to get as per the allocation proposed. Madam Temporary Speaker, I support."
}