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{
    "id": 1460731,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1460731/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 283,
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    "content": "other side of this House finds a reason to support the same. This is because as much as we would wish to take our hard position, the reality is that we do not have resources. As we speak, the development money for the national Government has been reduced by a tune of almost Ksh150 billion. It means that programmes worth Ksh150 billion will not be executed, leave alone the intended programmes. We are worried about the pending bills and the programmes that are ongoing because resources have not been provided. It is high time we discussed the Division of Revenue Act and amendments that are required. This is so that when we find ourselves in such a scenario, we are able to equitably share the burden. As we seek to adjust as the national Government, that is, Parliament, Executive, and Judiciary, devolved Government units should sit and re-look at their allocations on the other side. Nevertheless, it is high time we spoke about county governments’ own source revenue. I know they have been going through challenges in meeting their targets. It is high time we spoke to them about that particular scenario so that their intended development agenda and programmes to spur and grow devolution will now be supported effectively by the resources that they are endowed with. Most of the county governments have never managed to meet their targets. The reasons behind that are poor planning, poor policies, poor revenue collection measures and misuse of resources. That particular scenario helps us to speak to the Council of Governors and the devolved government units so that they can begin to re-look at the laws governing their own source revenue. If they are able to maximise their collection the same way we are pushing ourselves to the limit, they will reduce direct dependency on the core functions that they have to discharge and meet the mandate of devolved governments. As we seek to put ourselves in the scenario of push and pull, it is high time Kenyans began to look at the situation we find ourselves in. Other issues and discussions need to come forth around what we are going to do henceforth. We are aware that the Court of Appeal made a ruling that invalidated the Finance Act of 2023. We are aware the Finance Act of 2023 sought to raise additional revenue of not less than Ksh200 billion. I know an appeal has been made to the Supreme Court but, who knows the outcome of that? I do not want to pre-empt the outcome of the ruling of the Supreme Court, but should it uphold what the Court of Appeal ruled, we will get into problems. It is high time, as Kenyans, we asked ourselves questions about the situation we find ourselves in. Where are we going? Such court rulings affect the already affected basket that we have. We are now discussing the Division of Revenue Bill. I do not know whether we are aware that Supplementary Estimates II should be coming very soon. Who is going to survive in this situation? Will devolution and the national Government survive? I call on every agency to tread carefully lest we collapse the country. This is because the advent challenges that are affecting the existing framework of revenue raising measures will collapse the critical services that Kenyans require. With those remarks, I support this amendment and request that, henceforth, we should have a discussion on how to absorb the reduction of the revenues. Thank you very much, Hon., Temporary Speaker."
}