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{
    "id": 1427264,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1427264/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 342,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Mumma",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, for the opportunity to speak to this Bill. I rise to support it. I have said here before, that as we go into the 13th year after devolution, the Senate should work harder to strengthen the intergovernmental relations between the two levels of government in order for devolution to perform well. Most of the laws that we should bring should strengthen intergovernmental consultation and cooperation to ensure that the two levels of government recognize that they do not serve separate citizens. They serve the same citizens. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, the 13 years of negative competition that has been there between the two levels of government needs now to tone down. We need to get to a level where they assist us to move the devolution as is envisaged in the Constitution of Kenya. The issue that has been brought up in this Bill is absolutely important. I support that we are at that level where we need to put in place a legal framework to ensure that county governments do better in terms of own source revenue, collection and accountability for those monies. The proposed Clause 160A speaks to principles that exist in the Constitution. The principles of transparency, efficiency, effectiveness and a verifiable system. A system that is simple, secure and one that should prevent any fraud or losses, and one that promotes the distinctiveness of the national Government and the county government. That is what any law that we are bringing in place that strengthens inter- governmental relations should enable us to do. To strengthen systems while delivering on devolution as provided for in the Constitution. So, the principles that we are reaffirming in this Bill already exist in the Constitution. We are reaffirming because, for 13 years, those principles have not been properly implemented, not just at the at county level, but also the national level. You will recall just a few weeks back, we had the report from the Office of the Auditor-General that questioned a whopping Kshs15.5 billion transacted through the e- Citizen platform. So, it is not as if the national Government and the e-Citizen are necessarily foolproof. We need to put in place systems at the national Government and at the county government that will ensure Kenyans are not defrauded of their monies and full accountability, whether it is national Government or county government. So, I want to disabuse a few comments made by those who believe automation means safety because as the Auditor General has demonstrated recently, the e-citizen collection system that we have has issues."
}