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{
    "id": 1425629,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1425629/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 245,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Mutinda",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13206,
        "legal_name": "Boniface Mutinda Kabaka",
        "slug": "boniface-mutinda-kabaka-2"
    },
    "content": "They had something to start with. However, there were five counties that did not have anything to use as offices. In that regard, the State Department for Public Works at that time was also involved in this process. The counties that were identified to have need for headquarters were five; Lamu, Nyandarua, Isiolo, Tharaka-Nithi and Tana River. These counties at the advent of devolution did not inherit any adequate facilities from the de facto governments. In the budget implementation by then, it was agreed that the national Government, through the Treasury, would support these counties with 70 per cent of the funds and the counties would contribute 30 per cent of that funding. This would depend on the Bill of Quantities (BQs) that the Public Works would advise based on the size and many factors on the needs of the five counties. The county headquarters’ projects were originally scheduled to be completed at a cost of Kshs518 million, starting at the financial years 2016/2017, 2017/2018 and 2018/2019. However, it has been a disappointment for the last eight years because the time that was set lapsed and there was no completion. Some of the contractors who had been awarded some of these contractors left their sites. Those sites were shells and even now, people of those counties have not been able to use these offices. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, in this 13th Senate and on 4th July, 2023, the Council of Governors (GoG) appeared before our committee and they tabled their issues that caused delays. They cited key challenges that ranged from the Department of Public Works and no disbursement from the National Treasury because there were hindrances from the Public Works. The committee considered the matter and resolved to follow up the matter and recommended for a way forward. We convened many meetings with these counties. It is good to know that none of the Members that sit in the Committee on Finance and Budget represent any of these counties. The committee called in different stakeholders; the National Treasury Economic Planning, the State Department of Public Works, the Governors from the beneficiary counties and the Intergovernmental Relations Technical Committee (IGRTC) led by its Chairperson. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, in the consideration, the committee pointed out a few observations. One of them was the eight years’ delay that has been there and the shells that the counties still have. The national Government was expected to contribute Kshs121 million for the three financial years, which totalled to Kshs1.8 billion for the five counties. As at the end of last Financial Year 2022/2023, the disbursement from the national Government was Kshs837 million only. So, the balance of Kshs977 million is still outstanding, where Kshs454 million after the Committee pushed, has been allocated to the county governments as additional allocation for this Financial Year 2023/2024. The balance of Kshs445 million has been allocated to the next financial year, 2024/2025. That leaves a balance of about Kshs78 million. We were able to cite the issues of inflation, putting in mind that the cost that had been put in the BQs eight years ago cannot be currently the same. However, the committee agreed with the governors of the respective counties that they would fund the 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."
}