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{
    "id": 1384835,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1384835/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 801,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Tetu, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Geoffrey Wandeto",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker for allowing me an opportunity to lend my voice to this Bill. I thank the Chairperson of the Committee for the attempt to bring some order into the management of these regional bodies. However, I have a slightly different view and thought as far as these regional bodies are concerned. You will remember that most of these are Independence-era organizations that were started in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. While it is good and prudent to think whether the laws that govern them are aligned or not, it is a much more important activity to take stock of what they have achieved in the 30 or 40 years of their existence. It is also very important that we check how well these regional development authorities are aligned with the Constitution and especially to devolution. They have cross-cutting functions. Some of them deal with irrigation, others own dams that generate power and others conduct different economic activities. This is a source of confusion because when we start looking backwards and integration of the different ministries, we find that one regional authority deals with matters domiciled in the Ministry of Agriculture; the Ministry of Energy or sometimes the Ministry of Health. They were all formed around the river basins. The initial tenets were issues around water conservation and things like that, most of such functions are now under the ministries or specific national organisations, whether it is the Kenya Wildlife Services, the Kenya Forestry Services and the various organisations that deal with different conservation activities. There is need to do some soul-searching because a country that desires to develop and progress must constantly review its model. It is time we thought about the model of regional development authorities to see whether it is working for us or not. What have they delivered? At least, we know that the Kerio Valley Development Authority delivered the Kerio Dam of which there has been a push and pull with the Kenya Electricity Generating Company on how to manage that resource. We see different examples of that in various other places. At the outset of devolution, we also established the regional waterworks companies. We have the Northlands Waterworks Company, Tana River Development Waterworks Company, Athi River Development Water Company and others. We need to see whether this brings about duplication in how we run authorities. Because of the constraints that we are having currently in the exchequer and the need to utilise our resources more efficiently, the creators of this Bill would have gone further other than just this cosmetic cure, to bring standardisation in terms of the operations and the laws. It is good Hon. Haji said that the functions have been standardised. When we look at the Bill, each organisation has its purpose cut out. What they are trying to do is to align the laws and put them under one standard Bill. More importantly than the standards, we should ask how we can make them more efficient and effective. Which are the areas of duplication together with all these other waterworks companies that have been created? How do they align with The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor"
}