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{
    "id": 1440051,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1440051/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 267,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Samburu West, KANU",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Naisula Lesuuda",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I also join my colleagues in supporting the Equalisation Fund Appropriation (No.2) Bill as tabled by the Vice-Chair, Hon Emaase, of the Budget and Appropriations Committee. I just want to point out some issues regarding the Equalisation Fund. We all know that there was a conversation in 2010 when we were coming up with our Constitution. It was agreed that there are some areas in our country which have been left behind in terms of development since we got Independence. This is something that was canvassed across the country and it was agreed, and the Equalisation Fund was captured in the Constitution. It is unfortunate that since the realisation of the Equalisation Fund, this is just the second time that funds have been released to the counties that are supposed to benefit. We have had a lot of pull and push in this House, pushing for the release of this money. I am happy that recently, Ksh10 billion was released to the 14 counties. It is unfortunate that when we still have a balance of Ksh39.7 billion, CRA opened a Pandora’s Box of going against the 14 counties, and now there are 34 counties. We are going to the third-generation formula, and I do not know how many counties again. There was a reason, and a well thought process why we had the 14 counties. My colleagues talk about pockets of underdevelopment in their counties, while some of us talk about underdevelopment in an entire county. For example, in Samburu County, we got tarmac just two years ago to get Maralal Town, our headquarters, while some people are talking about tarmac roads connecting villages. It is important for us, as a country, to appreciate the role that the Equalisation Fund plays and why these counties were thought through when the Constitution was being drafted. I want to talk about the money that has been released to the counties. The challenge that we see is that the Committee or the people who sit at the county level come up with minute projects that should be funded by the Equalisation Fund. For example, a road of Ksh8 million, Ksh10 million, or Ksh11 million. Those are functions that the county governments can do. The reason the country thought about the Equalisation Fund was to do mega projects that uplift the lives of people in those counties, such as a major dam, a water supply project, a road connecting one sub-county to another, or even an inter-county. Otherwise, the lapse of this Equalisation Fund will get here and if you look at our counties, you will see that we are still at the same place. I urge the governors and even ask the Members of Parliament, because we have representatives in those boards, to look at the bigger picture. The talk about marginalisation in our counties will not fly again in another 10 or 20 years. Kenyans will say we have had the Fund and time, and ask what visible thing the funds have done in our counties. I would urge the governors, who are currently controlling most of these funds, to refrain from revising the priorities agreed on by the board. Governors should avoid sitting with their The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}