{"id":1478484,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1478484/?format=json","text_counter":134,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Abass","speaker_title":"","speaker":{"id":13587,"legal_name":"Abass Sheikh Mohamed","slug":"abass-sheikh"},"content":"There is a big concern about the delay in the release of funds to counties. It takes long, sometimes four to five months. As a result of that, counties are supposed to get salaries from the banks at a higher cost, with a higher interest rate. Certain reductions are not submitted in time and they are given penalties for that delay. I do not know what your Ministry will do as a result of the delays in fund release. There are also penalties from KRA and other institutions like the Local Authorities Pension (LAP) Fund that put interest on the said reductions."}