Entry Instance

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

{
    "id": 1372173,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1372173/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 218,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Wambua",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13199,
        "legal_name": "Enoch Kiio Wambua",
        "slug": "enoch-kiio-wambua"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, for this opportunity to also contribute to The Water (Amendment) Bill (National Assembly Bills No.33 of 2023). From the onset, let it go on record that I oppose this Bill. I have agreed with Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale that in this Session, we will debate seriously the matters that come to the Floor of this House. Let us be reminded, all of us, that one of the key responsibilities of the Senate especially sitting in Plenary is to defend the interests of counties and their governments. A casual reading of Section II, the Fourth Schedule of the Constitution, lists water services as a fully devolved function, which means that all matters of water fall under the jurisdiction of county governments. One of the things this Bill is proposing to do is a blatant attempt to claw back on devolution. If you interfere with one function that is devolved, then you are essentially clawing back on devolution. I will narrow my argument to only two issues. First, let us look at the constitution of the water regulatory board as proposed in this amendment Bill, in Clause 5. The entire tribunal consists of national Government actors; people seated at the national level. Why did the proposer of this amendment not think of including a member of the Council of Governors’ sub-committee on water to sit in that tribunal? The purpose of any tribunal is to resolve disputes. For instance, if there is a dispute between Kitui water and Nyeri water providers, how does the tribunal"
}