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{
    "id": 1292117,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1292117/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 235,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Okiya Omtatah",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "operations. However, nothing is being allocated. There should be an allocation not just to the miners, but to people who are not mining to build their capacity. My brother, the Senator for Taita/Taveta County, is happy that he has received some revenue from royalties paid on iron ore exported. I do not know whether he is aware that in the Finance Act 2023, where there is a tax imposed on iron ore which is more than that of the world market price for iron ore. I do not know where you are going to export your iron ore to. The revenue might not be coming in the next financial year. In as much as we support this Bill as it is a step in the right direction, let us invest sometime in what revenues we should be sharing. Secondly, let us get the revenues to be shared equitably. This is an idea the Senate had but has not followed. One of the objects of devolution is to ensure equitable development of this country. The revenue that remains with the national Government requires supervision by the Senate to ensure that the counties are getting equitable attention so that revenues do not go to where politicians think they can get more votes or got more votes than in other areas. The object of devolution that brings us the question or the idea of equitable development must be given the attention it requires. As a Senate, we need to look at the institution that is the National Treasury. Under Article 225(1), Parliament was allowed to establish the National Treasury and it did so through the Public Finance Management Act. However, the National Treasury establishment is an appendage or is part and parcel of the national executive. It is not an independent body that can ensure counties get the attention they require. The other day, you heard the President say that his administration was the first to channel funds to counties within the time he stated. However, this is not the work of the national Government but of an independent National Treasury. Nyamira County should deal with the National Treasury the way the national Government deals with it. However, when National Treasury is put under the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, the Principal Secretary and other appointees of the national Government, then it ceases being the National Treasury anticipated in the Constitution. Chapter 12 of the Constitution sought to cure the ills and mischief of the absolute control on public finances by the national Government. This is why you have the offices of the Auditor General and the Controller of Budget being made autonomous. The National Treasury anticipated under this Chapter was supposed to be autonomous but the old order survived. Now we have a National Treasury that is part and parcel of the national Government. This gives counties problems in accessing revenue. As a Senate, we need to interrogate and audit the architecture and framework under which the National Treasury has been established. This is to make sure that it is aligned to the Constitution, so that the 48 administrative units we have in this country; that is, the national Government and the 47 county governments, have an autonomous National Treasury that addresses their needs and none of the governments is superintending it over others. Right now, a big problem we have with the county finances ---"
}