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{
    "id": 1431549,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1431549/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 3905,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Samburu West, KANU",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Naisula Lesuuda",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "sitting in the Mediation Committee agreed with the Senate that it is important for us to fund devolution fully so that devolution can work for our people. This came out from the final amount that was agreed on. The Senate had proposed Ksh415 billion, the Commission on Revenue Allocation proposed Ksh396 billion while the National Assembly had proposed Ksh391 billion. By the end of the mediation process, we all agreed on an unprecedented figure of Ksh400.1 billion to go to our counties as shareable revenue. I agree with Hon. Nyikal who said that it is important when we are preparing the Budget Policy Statement (BPS), to know the priority areas of our counties. This will inform our decisions as the Budget and Appropriations Committee and as a House. We know the projections of the counties and some of the things they would like to do. Hon. Temporary Speaker, you were also part of the Mediation Committee and saw that the Senate had an elaborate view of why they wanted more funds to go to the counties. They had a document which showed that there were some counties which had started the industrial parks. There were 21 others which had not started, while others had existing parks which needed to be funded. There was the issue of the Community Health Workers, where the county governments and national government were both giving a shilling thus funding our Community Health Promoters who are doing an excellent job. There was the statutory requirement of the taxes that were increased like the Housing Levy which the county government employees are supposed to remit. The Senate had a bigger picture of why county governments should get the funds. I agree that this House needs to be apprised of some of these issues when we are making the BPS. Matters that are discussed in the IBEC need to find a way into this House so that when we are allocating these funds we know what we are dealing with. We also agreed that even though we have challenges of misappropriation in some of our counties, as a House, we will not play the politics of individual counties.We have also agreed that despite facing challenges such as funds being misused at the county level, we, as a House, will not engage in county-specific politics. We will ensure that funds are allocated to all counties because devolution has brought services closer to our people in some of our counties. We need to reconsider devolving some of the functions of the National Government, like health and agriculture. I would also like to congratulate the Chairperson of the Council of Governors, Governor Anne Waiguru. Over time, we have seen her engaging with the relevant committees and Members of this House, to increase the percentage going to the counties in her tenure. We have seen her dedication and commitment to ensuring that more funds go to counties and are remitted on time before the end of the financial year."
}