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{
    "id": 1489972,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1489972/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 117,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Oketch Gicheru",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "that cannot allow them to access markets. This is why I say that some of these defunding elements to counties are counterproductive. The National Assembly must understand that if you start allowing people not to do their basic economic activities in these counties, then we are making it difficult for the economy to advance. Another problem we are starting to see is when you start interfering with administrative monies, especially in some areas, where even monies have been committed to some of these contractors who are working. For instance, if you look at the reduction in the county aggregation of industrial parks from Kshs4.5 billion to Kshs2 billion. That is more than a 50 per cent reduction on projects that contractors have been put on site. For example, Migori County was meant to get almost Kshs105 billion for County Aggregate and Industrial Parks (CAIPs). We ended up only receiving Kshs62 million, yet you have contractors who had already been committed. They are on-site workers they have committed to and bought a number of supplies. Then, all of a sudden, you are telling them that you have got over 60 per cent reduction on the money they are supposed to get. What are you telling these contractors? Number one, lay off your workers. You can imagine how that has a serious effect on people who have committed to work in these counties. Number two, for a contractor to commit to such a humongous tender, it would mean that, at some moment, they have gone and even taken loans. Then you expose them to skyrocketing interests over a period of time that they cannot define because you have basically cut over 60 per cent of the money they were expecting without telling them when next they could plan with this. This is completely counterproductive. These are counties that will not raise money anywhere. They cannot take debt from any other country other than waiting for money from the Government, so this is a big problem. I have argued for the case of service delivery in counties. Service delivery in counties is touching on essential and fundamental human needs. Now, think about a case where all the devolved functions in counties are basic needs functions. Then you are told we are going to cut down on XYZ, which also has basic need issues. If you look at some of this funding that we are talking about here, in that case, there was a reduction in the allocation of money that was allocated for Community Health Promoters (CHPs). It is being cut from Kshs3.2 billion to Kshs2.58 billion. Now, what you are forcing counties to do is to choose between food and water, and between health and basic education of our children. When counties cannot get what has been allocated here, they must deprioritize some of the essential services and try to reprioritize some of the essential services. How are you going to remove money that is meant for Community Health Promoters, who are doing a lot of work? These Community Health Promoters used to be community health volunteers. They used to be people who could help our households, detect any health challenges early, take them to the hospital early, and get remedies early before any complication could become a major issue for those families and, therefore, save a lot of money. How are you reducing the Community Health Promoters' money from Kshs3.2 billion to Kshs2.58 billion? We know well that the money that the Community Health promoters are earning is not real wages. They are basic stipends that are just there to facilitate them. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
}