Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 1370664,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1370664/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 235,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Cherarkey",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13217,
        "legal_name": "Cherarkey K Samson",
        "slug": "cherarkey-k-samson"
    },
    "content": "the Machakos County Assembly running into billions of shillings contracted to lawyers and their firms as legal fees. The Committee has observed that some county entities are deliberately not utilising the offices of the County Attorney, which yours truly was instrumental in passing in the last session. They like outsourcing legal services. Additionally, the Committee has observed that counties have failed to explore Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in a bid to save billions of shillings. The Committee continues and it is the concern in the high interest in the unhealthy size and growth of wage bills in many of the counties. In the last quarter, the Committee wrote to seven counties to explain the measures they have taken to reduce their wage bill to the recommended 35 per cent threshold. We plan to write and invite more county executives during the Third Session to deliberate on this issue in a bid to ensure fiscal prudence. Almost all the counties have violated the issue of the wage bill. Madam Temporary Speaker, the Committee undertook a county visit to Turkana County during the Senate Mashinani. Notable projects included the County Headquarters, Governor’s official residence, Lodwar Fire Station, Speaker’s Residence and the new Turkana County Assembly Chamber. The Committee observed that some projects that we visited such as the County Headquarters, the Governor’s official residence and the Speaker’s Residence had either stalled or taken too long to complete. Full payments on projects had been made and the contractors were not on site. The Committee directed the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to take an interest in the projects. We further directed the Controller of Budget (CoB) to question and scrutinise any requisitions relating to the highlighted projects in Turkana County. The Committee observed the Senate had adopted a Report of the Standing Committee on Finance and Budget on county governments’ infrastructure projects. Such projects comprise county executives' headquarters offices, assembly chambers and offices and county state officers’ residences. The report capped the cost of constructing the governors’ and speakers’ residences at Kshs45 million and Kshs35 million respectively. However, the Committee observed that most of the counties that had already awarded contracts had gone beyond this sum. Therefore, we have directed CoB to stop the release of funds meant for such construction. Madam Temporary Speaker, the Committee also observed that there was rampant voiding of payments by county governments. The approved cash plans by CoB do not adhere to Section 22(c) of the CoB Act, 2016. The Committee recommends CoB institute mechanisms to enforce compliance of approved cash plans by counties. Further, the Committee recommends that the Committee on Delegated Legislation fast-tracks the consideration and adoption of CoB Regulations for better carrying out and giving effect to any provision of the Act. The Committee has met and interrogated many county assemblies. However, most of them are still grappling with poor asset management. Majority of County Assemblies do not possess titles to the land on which the assemblies sit. The Committee has since"
}