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{
    "id": 1491196,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1491196/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 313,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Cheruiyot",
    "speaker_title": "The Senate Majority Leader",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13165,
        "legal_name": "Aaron Kipkirui Cheruiyot",
        "slug": "aaron-cheruiyot"
    },
    "content": " Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker, for this opportunity. I beg to move that the County Public Finance Laws (Amendment) Bill (Senate Bills No.39 of 2023) be now read a Second Time. This should be declared the day of the county assemblies because we have dealt with Bills that are extremely important to them. It is extremely egregious that it has taken the Senate this long to consider the pieces of legislation that we are speaking about this afternoon. We have the one that has just been concluded by Sen. Crystal Asige on the constitutionality of the composition of our county assemblies, ensuring that those special interest groups are properly determined, so that we do not have county assemblies without full representation as per Article 177. I remember this particular one quite well. The first Legislative Summit was the first gathering of Senators and MCAs at a public forum. Madam Temporary Speaker, you will recall because I know you live in Kenya, that post-2013 when we had the first and the second Devolution Conferences, Senators protested. We protested because of how most governors were running their counties. As the House properly charged with the mandate to represent county governments and their interests, we felt that the behaviour of many of our governors fell short of the constitutional expectations of what public officers should be. Sitting with them in the first Devolution Conference, Senators actually staged a walkout. I had not joined the Senate at that particular time, but I was a keen follower of what was happening. In 2016, we came up with what is referred to as Legislative Summit. The reason the name got lost in my mind is because I do not recall the last one we attended. For whatever reason, we have not had that gathering, not that it achieved so much, but because it provided us with an opportunity as the House charged with the constitutional mandate to represent the interests of our county governments and listen to the legislative side of county governments. If you read through the takeaways after the conference that we had at Pride Inn Paradise Beach Resort and Spa in Mombasa, this particular Bill is one of the first requests that county assemblies made to us. They want financial autonomy, so that they operate devoid of intimidation, blackmail, and threats from governors. It was not unusual, at that particular time, to find county assemblies staying up to three or four months without receiving salaries because they had disagreed with the governors who operate and have full control of the County Revenue Fund (CRF) accounts. As they say, he who pays the piper calls the tune. Therefore, it was extremely important. That point on the need for the Senate to implement that particular legislation was conversed many times by speaker after speaker. It is unfortunate that eight years down the line, that is when it is about to see the light of day. I am just laying the basis why this legislation is extremely important. Madam Temporary Speaker, I feel that we cannot afford to stay any longer. Senators will recall that in this particular session of the Senate, in every impeachment that has come before this House, the disputes that have clearly played out each time 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."
}