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{
    "id": 1462394,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1462394/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 242,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Olekina",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 407,
        "legal_name": "Ledama Olekina",
        "slug": "ledama-olekina"
    },
    "content": "Today’s Order Paper talks about reinventing the wheel and, amending the Division of Revenue Bill. Hypothetically, if we pass this Bill, rush it fast and it is assented into law, does that not mean that county governments will now have to redo their entire budgets again, and create a new budget line to be able to fund the COGs? Sen. Kajwang’ will tell you that for the last 10 years, we have been agonising over the legality of county governments funding the COG. Since they have been operating in an illegal framework throughout, the best thing to do is to have a completely independent body. We talk about corruption here every day. We talk about county governments being corrupt. I see that you have given this new council powers. I have seen it somewhere where it says, ‘summon anyone to appear before it’. Let us do away with the unnecessary creation of secretariats. We are just creating jobs for people and even when those jobs have been established, they only go to certain parts of this country as if we are visitors in this country. Madam Temporary Speaker, although I support these amendments, I will also be bringing amendments. I hope my colleagues will agree with me that we need to stop this waste. I will summarize by saying the following: One, we do not need a secretariat of the COGs, the secretariat of the Intergovernmental Relations Agency, which is currently by statute the secretariat of the COGs should remain so. We need to make it very clear so that people know. Two, we do not need to divert money meant for our people. The shareable revenue that we cry every day to be increased will be monies that these guys will be paying a subscription from. What convinces me that what I am saying should be adopted by this Senate is that Section 20(A)(1)(b) being introduced says such monies as may be lawfully granted or donated to the council. It does not say who is going to donate. One county government might say we have so much money, we will donate to the council because the other county government is poor. It also says this council shall determine bi-annually the amount to be paid by county government as subscription. That is wrong. I persuade my colleagues and hope that you pay attention to what I am saying. Let us do away with this new provision being introduced. It is not necessary and it is expensive. People are talking about austerity measures. There is nothing that will convince me that we practise what we preach if we reduce the expenses. The moment you set up the COG secretariat and put it under statute, depending on the powers of the CEO of that secretariat, the county government might one day be told to donate Kshs100 million every year, so that they can have big events where it is just talk shop. You cannot find something tangible."
}