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{
    "id": 1406013,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1406013/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 341,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Olekina",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 407,
        "legal_name": "Ledama Olekina",
        "slug": "ledama-olekina"
    },
    "content": "The issue of accountability is important. Article 179 of the Constitution defines the executive authority of the county, which is vested in the county executive committee consisting of the Governor, the Deputy Governor and the County Executive Committee Members (CECMs). Article 179(4) says that the governor is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), and the deputy governor is the deputy CEO. Then you have the 10 CECMs, which have the Chief Officers, who are the accounting officers. The Chief Officers have the authority to incur expenditures. When the Senator presents a Statement indicating that Garissa County does not have Chief Officers, it begs the question of whether the county exists. We sit in this House and devolve funds to counties. If you read the two Articles my brother Sen. Cherarkey has read, one is Article 225, which defines the process by which funds can be stopped from being sent to counties. The Constitution states clearly that Parliament shall enact legislation to ensure a fiduciary responsibility. One of my biggest pet peeves is when we have counties - we sit here, and some of us, by the time we leave this Parliament, have broken backs. We sit here to defend these counties. Is there any logical explanation as to why the good county of Garissa does not have chief officers? What is so difficult? Is it an issue of clannism or incompetence? Many young Kenyans can work as chief officers. This is a serious omission that begs the question my brother, Sen. Cherarkey, deluded me on the issue of the Controller of Budget (CoB). How does the CoB release funds to the County? Who authorises those releases? I am looking at my brother, the captain, party leader and Chairperson of the Budget and Finance Committee. Maybe he could clarify this. I have read the Public Finance Management Act and know it like the back of my hand. The chief officer is the one who requisition funds. If you look at the daily cash requisitions sent to the CoB, we have the signature of a gentleman called Ole Naingesa, the Chief Officer for Narok County. What is the name of the Chief Officer for Garissa County? Ole Fulani? Who is it? I am curious. These are some of the things we need to take seriously. I thank the Senator for Garissa for bringing that matter to the attention of the Senate. These are issues that must be looked at if we are to have a country. As I conclude, there was a Statement that was brought by my brother Sen. Cherarkey. What I would like the Committee to do when they are investigating the issue of floods in the Expressway is to inform this House of the terms and conditions of the Public Private Partnership of the Government and the management of the Expressway. Are we, as a country, supposed to use public funds to repair and maintain the Expressway? We know the terms of the agreement regarding Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) are Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT). If the company that built the Expressway operates it, are we supposed to incur expenditures? Are we supposed to be inconvenienced by the poor workmanship of the Expressway, where you find that it is flooded? When you come to the lower road, building a road on top will affect the road people are using. Were there terms and conditions set out for the maintenance of that 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."
}