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{
    "id": 1408707,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1408707/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 155,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Onyonka",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13592,
        "legal_name": "Onyonka Richard Momoima",
        "slug": "onyonka-richard-momoima"
    },
    "content": "The contradiction of this wish is that we have also come across amazing things that are happening within our counties. For example, in Kisii county, the budget analysis report from the CoB states that it has just been able to spend 3.2 per cent of all the total revenue. It still has about Kshs4.4 billion in the County Revenue Fund (CRF) account, yet we have pending bills to the tune of Kshs1.2 billion and pension deductions for the workers of Kisii County Council, county government and the County Assembly. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, right now, the amount of money meant to be paid for pensions is about Kshs3 billion. That is what Kisii County owes its citizens. My conviction and belief is that this Committee, other Committees, the Controller of Budget (COB) and the County Public Investment Committee (CPIC) must sit down and engage themselves on what needs to be done with the outstanding bills. These bills include debt pending bills, the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) and deductions that go to the Government. This is so that we streamline the functions of our county governments in order for them to effectively work. An analysis of the challenges that we face with our Chairman is that the Governors have always raised the issue of late exchequer releases. I would like to say that even the Senate does not receive its exchequer releases on time, but the Kisii County Government right now is not complaining that salaries have not been paid. We have had cases where governors have mutilated budgets after county assemblies pass their budgets. The governors change them because they want to transfer money to the areas they want to spend money on. Members of the County Assemblies (MCAs) are challenged, and they are saying that what they get paid is not enough, and yet in reality, we talk of how they are compromised, how they are not doing their oversight role and that we should make sure that we control the MCAs. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, my position is that we should try and elevate what the MCAs are earning, the Kshs98,000. We should also provide them with autonomy from the money controlled by Governors even if the Assembly is supposed to be independent and oversighting the governors. Many governors are unable to pay money to the Financing Locally Lead Climate Change Action Programme (FLOCA) and the National Agricultural and Rural Inclusive Growth Project (NAGRIB). These conditional grants require reciprocal funds so that county governments like Kisii County can release money for FLOCA, which was done yesterday. It was only Kshs10 million that was needed, yet the amount of money we are getting from the International Development Organization and the World Bank will be Kshs410 million. On NAGRIB, you will see donor funds coming in, but everyone says that they do not see what these funds do. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, let the House make sure that we conduct our oversight role. Finally, I beg this House to get out of Nairobi and go for Senate"
}