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{
    "id": 1495005,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1495005/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 131,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Ogola",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "county assemblies as any other government entity have structures. They have a finance officer, an accountant and others. So, it is well that their accounting officer may authorise some of those officers to incur expenses. The other aspect that I support is on your mention of disbursement, “that just as county treasuries get their funds later by the 15th day from the commencement of the month, the county treasury shall in the same way also disburse the funds to the County Assembly Fund.” Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, if this is adhered to, the county assemblies will run with efficiency be more effective. Many times, their activities are disrupted because of lack of funds. If they will be running their funds, they will be having their work plan to strategies for their funds and their activities will be done at the right time. A number of times, the county assemblies are unable to perform their duties. This includes public participation, which is also spelled out in the constitution and which they must do. Sometimes they cannot work on certain county Bills, budgeting processes and even on the policies that are presented by the county executives. I remember when I was a CECM of Energy then, I had a policy on renewable energy that took a long time even when the county executive had approved it. This is because the county assembly had no funds to run their public participation. It meant that my committee then looked up to me as the CECM, to fund their public participation. Those are the kind of issues this Bill is trying to address. That the committees of the assembly would be autonomous and independent. It is until then that the work of the county assemblies will be beneficial to our people. I also realised that it spelled out in the Bill, that the CoB will have access to the bank accounts of the county assembly, if their funding is independently set aside. This will not only be limited to the county assembly, but also to the county executive and any other county entity that will be running any funds. I support this because this is only helping to ensure that there will be efficiency at the county assemblies. The main thing that we need to ensure by guaranteeing that the county assemblies have their money is autonomy and independence. I wonder if today our funding in Parliament would be controlled from elsewhere, if would we be able to run our calendars or accomplish what we are doing as Parliament yet the people expect us to represent them. This is the kind of mess and kinds of limits that the county assemblies have had. By passing this Bill, the Senate will have entrenched devolution. The county assemblies will stand out. I probably think that the lack of this Bill has necessitated the county assemblies to behave and operate as if they are an appendage of the county executive. How else would they operate? My colleagues have stated and even used undesirable terms some of which are demoralising to entities such as county assemblies, when we see as Parliament that county assemblies are now reduced to beggars. If you have to beg from somebody, they have to give you the terms. Therefore, let us pass this Bill and ensure that county assemblies run as envisaged in the Constitution. As I support, I also want to add my voice to the issue of salaries of the members of the county assemblies. We all go and we appreciate that even the elected Senators here 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."
}