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{
    "id": 1505605,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1505605/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 221,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Mandago",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13577,
        "legal_name": "Kiplagat Jackson Mandago",
        "slug": "kiplagat-jackson-mandago"
    },
    "content": "Thank you very much, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir. From the onset, I rise to support the report of the Mediation Committee on the Division of Revenue (Amendment) Bill (National Assembly Bills No.38 of 2024). As much as we have the responsibility of protecting counties and devolution as a Senate, we must also be realistic to the circumstances and happenings in the country. This House had passed and the National Assembly had agreed with us that counties can receive Kshs400 billion for the current financial year. However, the unprecedented events that happened in this country has necessitated the change. The Finance Bill, 2024 that had been passed by Parliament had put in revenue- raising measures that would have ensured that counties would be able to receive what we had passed as a Senate. Therefore, in my view, the Mediation Committee from the Senate led by the Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Finance and Budget have done a tremendous job by making sure that the reduction was not what the National Assembly had proposed of Kshs380 billion, but reached a consensus of Kshs387 billion. Considering the months we have to the end of the financial year and the time we have to collect revenue to fill in the gap that we had envisaged, it is only reasonable and practical that as a Senate, we consider the amount that the Mediation Committee has come up with to enable our counties to function. I say this from experience as a governor that it is possible for you to be allocated a very high figure on the paper, but becomes impossible for that money to be disbursed. What does that do? We have another monster we have been grappling with as a Senate. The national Government and county governments too have the same monster. That is the aspect of pending bills. Most of the pending bills we have in counties and the national Government has been caused by overestimating the revenues and income we will receive. As a Senate, we shall put suppliers of goods and services to counties in jeopardy if we will insist that counties should receive Kshs400 billion, which our national revenues may not be able to raise. We shall make counties commit suppliers and contractors to works that they will not be able to pay. 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."
}