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{
    "id": 1269199,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1269199/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 259,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Cheruiyot",
    "speaker_title": "The Senate Majority Leader",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13165,
        "legal_name": "Aaron Kipkirui Cheruiyot",
        "slug": "aaron-cheruiyot"
    },
    "content": "The licensing authority, as well, shall ensure that the process of applying for licenses from respective authority is efficient and effective by providing mechanisms for people that make simultaneous applications for more than one license and preventing multiple licensing procedures. This is the same so that if your business is obtained in more than one county, then with one click of a button, the transaction will be completed. This being the digital world that we live in, our hope and aspiration of a county government is that you do not have to run with pieces of paper from Kisumu to Siaya; Siaya to Homa Bay, then to Kericho and move to Kisii, if you are operating in the Western part of the country. If you are operating in the western part of the country, of course, it provides as well, in Section 7 of the Bill for the licencing procedure. It is good that it is defined because, when you do not legislate, when you do not provide the proper information and guidance, then there is room for abuse. Many people may come up with whatever they consider. It is clearly defined in the Bill that an application for the grant renewal and replacement of a licence shall first need to be made in writing in a certain form and it needs to be signed by the applicant. The procedure needs to be set out and the authorities that determine it. There is a provision, which I heard Sen. M. Kajwang, verily refer to, and it is something that we need to engage our heads on properly before deciding on it. Clause No.27 on this Bill continues to give powers to a Cabinet Secretary. I do not think that is right. We cannot be passing legislation as the Senate of the Republic of Kenya that continues to centralize power. I want the attention of Sen. M. Kajwang because when I served in the Committee on Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations with him as our Chairperson, we began this conversation. We wanted to ensure that as a Senate, instead of legislating every time, we give the ultimate power to a Cabinet Secretary. Let us domesticate the Council of Governors (CoG) in Statute so that we can begin to include them in law. We have our views on CoG, we have gone through all the views that we agree on and which we do not agree with them. The CoG and the Senate have come of age and should be the ones that are making these regulations as opposed to giving the power to the Cabinet Secretary. This is part of the claw-back. We should not assist part of the claw-back on devolution as the Senate. Why are we obligating a Cabinet Secretary to make regulations that affect county governments and as the Senate are happy to pass that particular Bill? That is the challenge that I have with Clause 27 of this Bill and when Sen. M. Kajwang mentioned it, it struck my attention and I said that I need to read that particular provision. Sen. Mariam Omar should convince us before we give her the final vote on passing. She needs to rethink and tell us what she is going to do with Clause 27 of this particular Bill. I am not comfortable with us giving delegated power instead of empowering our county governments who are returning them back here in Nairobi, to get regulations. Let us quickly conclude the business. I do not know how many Members of the Senate Standing Committee on Devolution are in the House. We need to complete this The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard Services,Senate."
}