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{
    "id": 1394724,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1394724/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 442,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Funyula, ODM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " As we have said, the economy is in trouble. But we have continuously been told that that is Azimio propaganda. We have been told that the economy is on a rebound and not a recession. Policy Prescription No.9 on Page 397 says, “to increase national Government expenditure for the purpose of debt servicing coupled with the weakening shilling against the dollar.” The Budget and Appropriations Committee, in its considered wisdom and having benefited from consultation from the National Treasury, the Parliamentary Budget Office and other stakeholders, have acknowledged that our shilling will remain weak for the intervening period during the implementation of this budget. They have clearly depicted the weakening shilling against the dollar. With a typical escapist mentality, they blame Ukraine, the Federal Reserve and all possible excuses. They are also indicating financing constraints due to limited access to finance in the domestic and international financial market. Are they admitting that our sovereign risk is negative to an extent that we are unable to attract revenue from international financiers? We must address what happened to Ksh4.6 billion of the AMISOM grant. Where is it factored? Do they intend to factor it in conditional grants? We need to revisit the issue of county governments which were supposed to be revenue generating centres and not cost centres. As much as they are seeking for enhanced allocation from the National Treasury, the overriding and overarching question Kenyans need to ask is what county governments are doing to collect and boost their revenue. If you read today's newspaper, almost 60 per cent of counties spend on foreign and local travel exceeding their local revenue collection. Essentially, the purpose and spirit of devolution is being devoured and obliterated by members of county assemblies and executive officials for personal benefit, and not that of the people. Every year we pump billions into county governments. This year, Ksh391 billion has been allocated to county governments. Since devolution, to what extent have these billions changed the welfare of the local mwananchi per capita income? To what extent has it improved the health index of the people in the counties? Is it time for the KRA, the Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis (KIPRA), and other think tanks to start charging for services in counties and submit funds based on charged services? Of 100 per cent of the funds allocated to counties, what percentage is allocated to development? If you sampled a few of the counties, you will be lucky to find more than 20 per cent allocated to the development vote. Most of it goes to personal emolument, recurrent expenditure, and of course, money to play around with. We must protect devolution. This cannot be done by sweeping the ills that were caused by devolution under the carpet in the guise of being politically correct. The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission and the Office of Controller of Budget, continuously highlight these issues. But since we are completely toothless, we have been unable to address these challenges. Finally, on the Road Maintenance Levy Fund Act, the classification of roads in this country is very clear. The county governments receive their own money. What do they do with that money? In most rural areas, you will only find motorable roads that have been constructed by the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA). Very few kilometres of tarmac roads have been undertaken by county governments. We support county governments and devolution, but as we embark on the second phase of devolution, it is time we started asking hard and important questions. We can no longer bury our heads in the sand hoping things will remain as they are. I am waiting to see what the Senators who go around making noise will say. I want to see who will defend devolution and who will continue to suppress it. With those few remarks, I support."
}