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{
    "id": 1445813,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1445813/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 207,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Tobiko",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Madam Temporary Speaker, thank you for this opportunity to contribute to this debate. Let me support the Report by the Committee on Finance and Budget on the status of implementation of projects that have been funded by the conditional grant for the construction of county headquarters. Basically, what this Report is telling us is that close to Kshs2 billion was allocated over the years on these projects of county headquarters for around five counties. However, we have nothing to show for it because they have not been completed. It is a very sad state of affairs. That is the counties of Lamu, Nyandarua, Isiolo, Tana River and Tharaka-Nithi. Madam Temporary Speaker, at this moment in our country, when you tell Kenyans that close to Kshs2 billion was used to construct some white elephants that have not been put into use, the anger and outrage is just fueled. This is a very sad situation and it is justified. You now get justification for the anger that is out there for public resources that we cannot show what good use they were put to. I began by saying we had a chance as the Standing Committee on Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations to visit Tharaka-Nithi. It is a sorry state of affairs there. The County Assembly Headquarters has not even started, apart from digging the foundation. The building for the County Executive is also not completed. So, the County Assembly is in some mabati structure. They operate under trees as their lounge. It is a very sad affair, shameful and unfortunate. However, the issues that we came across when we visited Tharaka-Nithi were audit queries. The EACC is handling the case. Once the case is with EACC, then there is a back-and-forth communication, accusations and counter- accusations. Therefore, the project has then not taken off to date. That brings me to another issue. If we were to do an assessment and take stock of the projects that have audit queries, they are many. The EACC has their files and is handling them. The Commission has completed some, but has not given a go-ahead to counties for completion across the country. Therefore, this House may need to take stock. The EACC cannot also become an impediment to the transformation that we want across the country. They can do their investigations, but we cannot have open-ended investigations. They must be concluded. There must be a way to salvage the projects, so that they are then completed and put to good use. In Kajiado County, I saw a library and a dormitory in a school called OlKejuado High School that has pending been for a long time. There are several other projects that The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only.A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and Audio Services,Senate."
}