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{
    "id": 1491386,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1491386/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 157,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Kathuri",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13590,
        "legal_name": "Murungi Kathuri",
        "slug": "murungi-kathuri"
    },
    "content": "Assembly cannot perform if we rely on the Executive to give us money to do our oversight role or run the administration of the Senate. We want to treat the 47 county assemblies the way the national Government treats both Houses of Parliament. Once the Budget is done, money is given to Parliament, then Parliament sits down to allocate the money for the National Assembly and the Senate through the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC). It is us who decide what to do and when. It is only that sometimes the Exchequer releases delay, but we have that autonomy and power to decide on what to do with our programmes. Most of the assemblies also told me that their staffers undergo manipulation and intimidation. If this money is given to them--- Mr. Speaker, Sir, another challenging matter in the counties is the Exchequer release. It is only the Senate that can help the county governments. If they stay for three months without the money being released to the counties, even if we give these county assemblies autonomy, but this problem is not sorted once and for all, there will still be a problem in the future. You remember when we had the Devolution Conference in Uasin Gishu County, the President of the Republic of Kenya pronounced himself that he would be very happy if the Senate passes a law that can give county assemblies that autonomy. I also remember your keynote address. You indicated that there is a law in place being processed by the Senate. This is the law that will give the county assemblies autonomy. The Council of Governors (CoG) also said that they had no problem with ensuring county assemblies are able to run independently. The other thing that is very critical is Article 119. I remember last year, the Controller of Budget (CoB) appeared before the Finance and Budget Committee of the Senate and indicated that it is not possible for her to know what is happening in the county governments and county assemblies or any other county bodies that we have in this country. The question asked was how money is released to the counties. On issues of pending bills, you will find that some of the contracts which were done two years ago have not been paid, but the contracts done three months ago gets the payment. The CoB said that once the requisition is made by the county governments or county executives, it is not possible for her to know where they take that money or which contractor they pay. Therefore, our recommendation was that she should have viewer rights in order to have a view of what is happening in Meru County by a click on the computer. For example, if you have done a requisition for agriculture or other departments, how did you spend that money? Did you take that money to the specific vote lines? Once this law is enacted by the Senate, we will relieve a lot of pressure from our people who do not get their pending bills paid. I remember when the Senator for Narok County came up with a Motion here, every Senator was alarmed by the figures in pending bills in our counties. I thank him for circulating that information to every Member, so that we can see the status of every county. Mr. Speaker, Sir, this Bill is very critical. The Fourth Senate will go into history for trying to help devolution. These are the laws that we need to see moving forward, so that by the time we leave here, Kenyans will be happy that we did the right thing for them. We The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only.A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and Audio Services,Senate."
}