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{
    "id": 1491214,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1491214/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 331,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Sifuna",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13599,
        "legal_name": "Sifuna Edwin Watenya",
        "slug": "sifuna-edwin-watenya"
    },
    "content": "If you listen to the language that is employed in this new Bill, it tells you that there is a step forward in terms of ensuring that the powers of the Assembly to appropriate will be returned to the House. That because it is the County Assembly just like the National Assembly appropriates money for the National Government, it will be the responsibility of the Assembly itself to appropriate those monies from the County Treasury or the County Revenue Fund into the County Assembly Fund. This is big progress in my view. If you look at 109(e), it designates the administrator of the County Assembly Fund, to be the Clerk of the House. This is very important because of the desire for us to have autonomy of the Assembly over their own monies. Madam Temporary Speaker, under 34(5), this amendment here proposes that the fund that we are talking about, shall be an account at the Central Bank of Kenya, and not a County Account that can be played around with here by the local politics. It is, therefore, important for us to support the amendments that are being proposed here because it goes to achieve a specific role that we have fought for a long time. Madam Temporary Speaker, at the County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC), we have also had problems of County Assembly funds appropriated to the County Assembly, being returned back to the exchequer once the Financial year closes. At the Senate CPAC, there were cases where the exchequer, the National Treasury, would release monies on the day of the closing of the financial year. We have had cases of county assemblies who have been given money, for instance, for construction of county assembly buildings, parking and other development projects at the county assemblies. Once the clock strikes midnight on the 30th of June, if that money is unutilized, it is swept back to the national government. In this particular Bill, I would like to refer you to the specific clause. Clause 109(a) says:"
}