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{
"id": 1464095,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1464095/?format=api",
"text_counter": 430,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Samburu West, KANU",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Naisula Lesuuda",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Thank you. I take that as a compliment, and maybe in the next life… I rise to support the consideration of the County Governments Additional Allocations Bill (Senate Bill No.19 of 2024). We are debating this matter when, as a country, we have rationalised the Budget that we just passed in this House the other day. Most Kenyans do not even know about these funds. They only know about the shareable revenue that goes to the counties. Most Kenyans do not know that there are additional funds from the national Government and donors that go to the counties. It is important that this conversation is going on in this House so that Kenyans know that there is extra money beyond the shareable revenue that goes to our counties. It is also evident that when most Kenyans are not enlightened on these matters, it becomes the governors’ kitty or their money because no one knows anything about it. Many people just know about the shareable revenue. So, it is just the governors who know about these funds, and nobody really questions how the implementation of these projects is done. It is important that Kenyans know that, for example, a county like mine, Samburu, receives a total of Ksh500 million additional funds over and above the shareable revenue. This ranges from money for the Community Health Promoters, the Matching Fund that national Government is giving shilling by shilling, and the mineral royalties. I am certain that there are too many people in Samburu County who do not know that in the Financial Year 2023/2024, Samburu County received Ksh900,000. This financial year, we are not clear on the royalties. Why is Samburu County receiving royalties worth a paltry Ksh17,000 in the Financial Year 2024/2025? With all the minerals in our county, why would Samburu County be receiving Ksh17,000? Actually, it is a joke. What will Samburu County do with Ksh17,000 as royalty? There is also additional donor funding that includes locust money. We need to know what locust money does. As you may know, locusts left the country. So, we need to know what the money for locusts in Samburu County is going to do. We do not want any money to be used as somebody's kitty in the counties. There is also money for food resilience, devolution support, and Kenya Urban Support Programme. All these things are additional revenues to our counties. Having said that, it is important that, as a country, we have a serious conversation and bite the bullet. If we embraced devolution, then we need to review whether we actually devolved all the functions and if funds follow those functions. We cannot continue to have a situation where the national Government gives counties money when it feels like. If a function is devolved, its funds should be devolved fully by the national Government. We cannot live with this fallacy that it is only in the county governments that governors abet corruption. Corruption is also happening at the national Government. So, if funds do not follow functions because they will be misappropriated at the county level, they can also be misappropriated at the national level. That is why sometimes you hear people saying that corruption is devolved. If funds are being misappropriated at the national level, they can even be better misappropriated at the county level. So, as a country, we must have a conversation. If a function has been devolved, let all of its funds be devolved as well. Perhaps, why health is not working in counties is because of not giving enough resources to the functions The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}