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{
    "id": 1419941,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1419941/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 314,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. M. Kajwang’",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13162,
        "legal_name": "Moses Otieno Kajwang'",
        "slug": "moses-otieno-kajwang"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I beg to move- THAT, the Senate adopts the Report of the Select Committee on County Public Accounts on its consideration of the Report of the Auditor-General on the financial statements of West Pokot County Assembly for the financial year 2018/2019 and reports of the Auditor-General on the financial statements of Isiolo, Kiambu, Kitui, Marsabit, Narok, Nyamira, Trans Nzoia, West Pokot and Murang’a County Assemblies for the financial year 2019/2020 laid on the Table of the Senate on Thursday, 7th March, 2024. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, for the first eight years of devolution, county assembly financial statements did not get the attention of the Senate. We concentrated mostly on the county executives. It was for a good reason because county executives enjoyed 90 per cent of the budget of county governments. However, this question arose; can the assembly oversight itself? Initially, we thought that county assemblies, through their respective oversight committees, could review and consider reports of the Auditor- General and make recommendations. We thought the architecture of the law, that is the County Governments Act, and the PFM Act were strong enough to allow Members of County Assembly (MCAs) to summon the Clerk and other responsible accounting officers within the assembly and put them to task on issues of financial malpractice flagged by the OAG. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, a practical challenge was brought before us. The Clerk is the accounting officer of the county assembly. If the clerk does not respond to invitations by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), the committee needs to issue summonses, which can only be issued under the hand of the clerk of the county assembly. So, it was impossible for the clerk to summon himself or any of his officers. So, you would find a situation where there would be collusion amongst those charged with fiduciary responsibility in county assemblies to frustrate the work of PAC. That is how the Senate started inviting the County Assembly Service Boards (CASBs), Speakers and Clerks of the county assemblies to respond to the issues raised by the Auditor-General. It is not an idle pursuit. Whereas the PFM Act aspires that seven per cent of a county budget should be allocated to the legislative function, over time, the Senate has been generous because we have kept lifting the ceiling. Right now, I would make an approximate average of 12 per cent of county government budgets, which are currently channelled to county assemblies. There are some county assemblies, which are at 13 or 14 per cent while others are at seven or eight per cent. On average, you will find that out of Kshs400 billion that we voted on today to allocate to counties, at least 10 or 11 per cent of that, which is probably Kshs45 billion, will go to county assemblies. Therefore, there is need for county assemblies to be held to account. 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."
}