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{
    "id": 1347470,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1347470/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 342,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Cheruiyot",
    "speaker_title": "The Senate Majority Leader",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13165,
        "legal_name": "Aaron Kipkirui Cheruiyot",
        "slug": "aaron-cheruiyot"
    },
    "content": "We know how business is transacted in this country. We must be clear on the governance model of the institutions we put in place. The Government must retain the rights. We must put across that the private sector satisfies the Government that they are charging, which is sufficient for them to transact and do business, manage the water, make it easily affordable and not make exorbitant profit at the expense of a basic need. Water is a basic need. That is why we are moving this Bill. Clause One of the Bill provides for the name of the Act. Clause Two of the Bill proposes an amendment to Section Two of the Act to provide new definitions. Clause Three provides additional powers to the National Water Harvesting and Storage Authority. Clause Four of the Bill proposes an amendment to Section 68 to provide for additional functions of Waterworks Development Agencies. They will now have the ability to run, control and have a say in the PPP projects. Clause Five of the Bill proposes an insertion of new Section 68A to the Act to provide for the licensing of Waterworks Development Agencies by the Water Services Regulatory Board. This vital Board will ensure that these entities have competitive practices and guide the country towards achieving the dream of providing that every part of this country is water-sufficient. This will also help to eliminate the inequality that has seen certain parts of the country enjoying access to water. Clause Seven of the Bill proposes an amendment of Section 72 to provide for additional functions of the Water Services Regulatory Board and to remove the Water Regulatory Board's powers to accredit water service providers. Clause 12 of the Bill proposes deleting Section 119 of the Act on establishing a water tribunal. If you allow business entities to run these programmes without necessarily putting in checks and controls, you can lose control of a very important sector. That, by and large, are the objects of the Bill. I hope Senators can have a debate, read the Report of the Committee, propose amendments and ensure that counties have a say. This is because reticulation of water is a fully devolved function. Therefore, counties must be brought on board. As we sign an agreement on a revenue splitting mechanism, we perhaps may want to propose that counties earn something. Even if it is just remedial as the investors recoups whatever they have invested in, so that they do not have to wait. While the national Government can wait for 27 years before earning anything from the Expressway, counties cannot afford to let go of this particular function. Many of them earn from these water agencies. Although, like I have mentioned, very few of them are profitable, Many of them continue to struggle with huge debts and other issues. Many of the institutions were set up during the days of councillors whereby, you will find a driver earning “X” amount of salary and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) almost similar amount. There are very many issues of governance. Therefore, it will be important to do that particular clean up. I invite colleagues to read, support the Bill and make their decisions, so that we can grant Kenya a very important space. This is so that our people can eventually access"
}