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{
    "id": 1292121,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1292121/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 239,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Okiya Omtatah",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir. You can see the bishop has spoken with authority. I am happy that there is work ongoing in that direction. Sen. Wambua, borrow the expertise of some of the most brilliant minds in this country in terms of the structure of the devolution and Chapter 12 of the Constitution, for example, Dr. Mutakha Kangu who has done a lot of work on the Constitution. He could benefit the Bill if you approach him. That is a Bill that is long overdue. If we do not separate the National Treasury from the Ministry of Finance, devolution will go nowhere. This is the elephant in the room. Once we do that, we will have the 47 administrative units approach the National Treasury and be served independent of each other. However, as long as the national Government thinks that it is the financier of counties, then counties will go nowhere. This is why I found the statement by the President – welcome as it was – on release of revenue to counties made because of absence of a framework. There should be a framework whereby revenues are disbursed to counties without the goodwill of an individual. We thank the President for the goodwill he expressed and the political action he took to make sure money was released in the time it was. However, if the National Treasury was separate from the Ministry of Finance and was autonomous, it would have been doing it without the prompting of the Head of State who would be left to do more serious work that he is supposed to do for this country. I support the direction we are going where a Bill on additional revenue is brought to the Senate and does not end up as a question to the National Assembly. However, going forward, the use of the equitable share that remains in the national Government must be validated by the Senate. The Senate is charged with ensuring there is equitable development of this country. The Senate must check, correct and state circumstances where counties in certain regions are getting the lion share of revenue. The idea that it is only the National Assembly that should supervise the revenue that remains with the national Government is not anchored in the Constitution of Kenya. That one goes against the principles of devolution. Senators are custodians of devolution and the cardinal issues of devolution to ensure equitable development of the country. 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."
}