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{
    "id": 1402668,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1402668/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 167,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Chute",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13583,
        "legal_name": "Chute Mohamed Said",
        "slug": "chute-mohamed-said"
    },
    "content": "Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I am happy to get this opportunity to also support this Bill’s amendment by the distinguished Senator for Nandi County, Sen. Cherarkey. Article 179 (3) up to 180 talks about County Executive Committees (CECs). This amendment is very crucial and it came at the right time. Removing a CEC member with one-third is not justifiable. What Sen. Cherarkey has done is commendable. We need to have two-thirds majority, as he has said, to enhance this threshold. We need to sit with Sen. Cherarkey to add a few amendments here and there. It is very important for us to make sure that CECs are protected. If you look at the way CECMs are handled in the counties, in fact, it is like they are flower girls for governors. A CECM has no authority to sign any financial documents. The person in charge of finances are Chief Officers (COs). When they sit in the Cabinet with the governor, they make amendments, laws and have plans for up to five years. However, a CECM will only do what the governor wants. Most governors are threatening the CECMs and COs to do whatever they want. In some instances, letters are written from another office, including award of tenders. Then, the name of that CO is written below the letters, which will be brought to the CO for the signature. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the biggest problem we have in the counties is corruption. That is why you see a governor can promise somebody a contract without going through a normal tendering system. Sen. Cherarkey, in his wisdom, brought this amendment, so that a governor cannot influence the MCAs to remove a CECM. Having said that, we also have another problem of salaries of the MCAs in the counties. An MCA in Marsabit County Assembly earns about Kshs150,000. Let me give you an example of an MCA from Ileret. Marsabit is almost over 500 kilometres from Ileret. It takes you two days to go to Ileret. The road and security is very bad, yet you expect this man to travel all the way to Eldoret. The fuel he uses to go to Ileret and come back is not less than about Kshs60,000. The same MCA is having issues in the villages, such as weddings, funerals, harambees and many other small jobs, and then you expect the same MCAs to come and make laws in the county assemblies. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
}