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{
    "id": 1460775,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1460775/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 327,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for giving me this chance to also add my voice to this Division of Revenue (Amendment) Bill, 2024. This Bill is as a result of the unfortunate situation that we went through in the Finance Bill. Once the Finance Bill was rejected, it meant that the revenue was going to drop by a certain margin. The division of revenue, which had already been done, had to be automatically affected. That is why this proposed reduction has been brought before this House. Let us accept that this is good work that has been done by the Budget and Appropriations Committee, because we cannot pretend that the revenue will be collected. It is one thing to say that we have revenue in the book, but the actual money may not come. If you foresee that there will be no actual funds coming to the Exchequer, then you have to revise your budget accordingly. It is important to live within our means, and that is why this exercise is important both to the country and this House. The arithmetic that has been done is also good. The Budget and Appropriations Committee has worked very hard to make sure that they reduce complaints from any source. This proposed Division of Revenue (Amendment) Bill as adjusted by the Budget and Appropriations Committee should be supported. County governments have enough sources of revenue and if they miss them from the Exchequer, they should be able to raise more than enough from their locally generated revenue. It is only unfortunate that most county governments do not realise the importance of collecting revenue locally. They want to depend on what they get from the national Government and yet, if you compare the revenue they used to raise in the past during county councils, it was much higher than what they are raising now. They should be looking at doing better than the former local authorities. The sources of revenue are mis-directed. Revenues are collected and banked in other accounts instead of going to the Exchequer. They should accept whatever decision is made from this House. The reductions proposed have been looked at very carefully by the Budget and Appropriations Committee and, therefore, we need to accept and approve this Division of Revenue (Amendment) Bill, 2024. With those few remarks, Hon. Temporary Speaker, I beg to support the Bill."
}