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{
    "id": 1462379,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1462379/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 227,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Cheruiyot",
    "speaker_title": "The Senate Majority Leader",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13165,
        "legal_name": "Aaron Kipkirui Cheruiyot",
        "slug": "aaron-cheruiyot"
    },
    "content": "Even the best dancers must know when to exit the stage. That is why I like legislative proposals that increasingly come to this House for setting up time limits. They are put in law, so that you do not have people overstaying in office. I do not believe in people who refuse to leave office. This Bill also proposes to enhance the functions of the Intergovernmental Relations Agency to include following up on summit resolutions. Remember what I mentioned a few minutes ago. In passing this law, I am fulfilling a summit resolution that was made more than eight years ago. That was in 2016 and I think we were at Pride Inn Paradise Beach Resort if my memory serves me right. That is why we need such an agency, so that once resolutions have been passed by the summit and other institutions that work along the lines of devolution, there is a body corporate that follows through and ensures that that comes to life. It includes also maintaining a repository of information and knowledge on intergovernmental matters, coordinating the development of a standardised costing framework for the transferred functions in line with Article 187 of the Constitution, and witnessing the execution of all relevant legal instruments pertaining transfer of functions. Transfer of functions is a topic that we need to bury. When President William Ruto came to office, at his Inaugural Speech at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, he committed to the country that we need to complete the costing and transfer of functions to the devolved units. Just like during the previous administrations, that is a promise that continues to be work in progress without a definite date of when that will come to an end. This is one of the key and core responsibilities of this agency, especially with the absence of interference by the national Government because we have removed the PS representing the national Government, so that this is purely about county governments and their assemblies. They can do the costing and agree with the National Treasury and raise matters at the summit, so that we bury this conversation about transfer of functions. Clause 4 proposes to give the Intergovernmental Relations Agency powers to gather, by such means as it considers appropriate, any relevant information of reports where it considers necessary to perform its functions. It will give advice on disputes and take measures it considers necessary to ensure that the principles of cooperative government as set out in Articles 189 and 6 of our Constitution are achieved, ensuring that there is a better coordinated relationship between county and national governments. Article 189 of our Constitution envisions a situation where counties and the national Government are in sync in terms of service delivery to the Kenyan citizens. It should not be the push and pull that we were accustomed to, especially in the formative years of devolution. I know things have gotten better over the past couple of years, but we do not want a relationship that is founded on the whims of good relations between men and women who head these institutions. We want it set out in the law, so that it does not matter who is in office. We need a credible and strong institution that is duty-bound. It should be set out in law to ensure that this happens. That is how you build a cohesive and prosperous nation. This Bill also proposes establishment of the Council of Governors (CoG) secretariat in law and sources of funding. I know the CoG receives resources, for"
}