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{
    "id": 1273737,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1273737/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 185,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Sifuna",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13599,
        "legal_name": "Sifuna Edwin Watenya",
        "slug": "sifuna-edwin-watenya"
    },
    "content": "We, as a Senate, had an opportunity to increase the resources that go to our county governments. As I look at this Cash Disbursement Schedule, as the Senator of Nairobi City County, I can see that Nairobi City County has the highest allocation of about Kshs20 billion annually. I know from my calculations that if this House had agreed with the earlier report of the Committee on Finance and Budget and voted for Kshs407 billion to our counties, Nairobi would be hitting almost Kshs22 billion. So, to hear lamentations from some of my colleagues who voted against Kshs407 billion does not make sense to me. However, I point to page 5 of that Report. This particular Cash Disbursement Schedule is stated by the Committee to serve two things. First, by compliance with Article 219 of the Constitution which expressively provide that the counties share of revenue raised by the national Government shall be transferred to the county governments without undue delay and without deduction. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the Schedule itself is not just about the amount of money each county is getting. On the first column at the top, there is a date that is provided for when the counties can expect that this money is going to be in their accounts. The money that counties expect under devolution is not a favour. It is a constitutional right. We decided that we were going to have and finance two levels of Government. Therefore, no one should expect us praise to him or her for doing what is the constitutional imperative. If sending money to the counties is a constitutional imperative, do not expect us to praise you for doing it. You are doing a constitutional imperative. That is not something you have a choice in. I have heard people praising some quarters and saying that money has been released to the counties. That is your job and that of the Executive to ensure that our counties are financed on time. Mr. Speaker, Sir, once we pass the Schedule, the people of Nairobi City County expect that by the 15th of July, 2023, and by the 15th of August, 2023, each of the counties will have received the monies that have been specified."
}