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{
"id": 1445836,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1445836/?format=api",
"text_counter": 230,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Omogeni",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 13219,
"legal_name": "Erick Okong'o Mogeni",
"slug": "erick-okongo-mogeni"
},
"content": "county headquarters. This means that the current Governor is not giving that project priority because the previous Governor, the late John Nyagarama, initiated it. At times, this leaves room for speculation. I have no evidence at all, but when you put your ears on the ground, people will tell you the commission was given to the other administration, so I need to commence my own projects, so that I get something. Already, we are breaking ground for an industrial park. We, as a county, want to pump Kshs250 million to the industrial park, while our county headquarters remains unfinished for over 10 years; it does not make economic sense. If I were the governor in office, I would have prioritised completing the county headquarters and then, may be another governor who succeeds me can initiate another project and allocate more money there. Our stadium, the Manga Stadium, again remains incomplete. It is like a stalled project and all these boil into the issue of a governor who takes over saying, “I will not complete projects that were initiated by a previous administration.” It is not a good thing. I have seen roads in my county that were launched by our retired President Uhuru Kenyatta. I have not seen President William Ruto saying that because those roads were launched by former President, he will not continue those projects. We took over at the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) and found the Bunge Tower project, which was launched when Hon. Kenneth Marende was the Speaker and those days. Sen. Mungatana was in the National Assembly, the retired Speaker, hon. Muturi, continued for his two tenures as the Chairman of the PSC. We came in and gave it priority. We completed it and Members are now occupying it. Therefore, I plead with the Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Finance and Budget to impress upon our governors to give priority to projects where substantial money has been spent. All they need is just to put a substantial budget to finalise the project and life continues. Madam Temporary Speaker, if you go to Machakos County, you will see what Governor Mutua left. He did a beautiful County Headquarters. When you go Machakos County, you feel proud; you see the fruits of devolution. That is how devolution should be working. You just see it and you say, yes, this is the County Headquarters of Machakos. In fact, he went further and even did some sub-county headquarters. If you go to Matuu, you will find that Governor Mutua did another Sub-County Headquarters for the County Government of Machakos. Why can Isiolo, Nyandarua and Tharaka-Nithi not do something and complete their county headquarters? Why can Nyamira County, after 12 years of devolution, not have a county headquarters? When the Gen Zs demonstrated on Tuesday, they went to that building, occupied it and they were demanding that they wanted that building to be completed. What a shame to us, as leaders. What a shame to our colleagues who are governors. How can Gen Zs be demonstrating, demanding that projects should be completed and launched, so that they can be proud members of those counties? We need to call out our governors and urge them to put aside this issue of “you must get something or your hands must be greased before you finish a project.” That is not what should inspire leadership. Leadership is transformative, if you do a count headquarters for Nyandarua, Isiolo or Tana River County, that is posterity. Future 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."
}