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{
"id": 1274071,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1274071/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Omogeni",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 13219,
"legal_name": "Erick Okong'o Mogeni",
"slug": "erick-okongo-mogeni"
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"content": "Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. First, I congratulate the students from your county who are just leaving the Chamber, and who have paid their courtesy call to the Senate together with their teachers. I assure the people of Bomet that they elected a very distinguished lawyer who has done very well in the short time that he has been in the Senate. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I rise to support the Motion on the Floor on the Cash Disbursement Schedule. First, I wish to thank the Committee of Finance and Budget chaired by the Senator for Mandera, Captain Ali, who I must say has distinguished himself as a very committed chair. He has brought his experience as a governor to be extremely beneficial to the debate of this House, especially the report that we are now debating. Last week we were debating another report from the same Committee on the Equalization Fund with a proposal that we allow an extension for another ten years. I want to be on record just for posterity that I am one of those Senators who are extremely disappointed by ourselves collectively as Senators because when we make a decision whether we like it or not, it goes on record as a decision of the Senate. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, we cannot lie to ourselves that giving our counties Kshs385 billion is adequate to support the various and important devolved functions that are offered by our counties. So, we may want to make it look like a political debate, but it is not. This is a matter that remains a disappointment to many people who reside in the counties. A sum Kshs385 billion, which represents 25 per cent of our last audited accounts is not adequate to provide health care, water, take care of roads, and build Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres in our counties. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, we must tell the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) administration that we are extremely disappointed. The people of Kenya are disappointed that you are giving lukewarm support to devolution. It could have been something if we increased this to Kshs407 billion. If you look at counties that have devolved systems, whether you call them states or counties like in Kenya, the main purpose of having a Senate is to defend the devolved states. That is why the statement in Article 96 is very clear. It says the Senate as a whole, not Senator of UDA or Azimio, represents counties and it serves to protect counties. The only way you can protect counties is by ensuring that you give counties adequate resources. I hope that as we move along, we shall reflect and that when we are considering this matter next time, we shall have the wisdom to increase money to counties. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, you do not know where you will fall sick; you would be visiting a certain county. Last time during Senate Mashinani, Sen. Mutula Kilonzo Jnr., now the Governor for Makueni County, fell seriously ill in Eldoret. We ran around looking for a hospital that has facilities to attend to his urgent medical need. So, when we talk about these matters, do not bring in politics. Look at it as a matter that affects all of us. We are also going to retire back to counties. When I go to Nyamira County on a weekend, I do not know when I will fall sick. Therefore, when I am"
}