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{
    "id": 1510331,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1510331/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 385,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Osotsi",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13588,
        "legal_name": "Osotsi Godfrey Otieno",
        "slug": "osotsi-godfrey-otieno"
    },
    "content": "millions of money to bursary funds, and yet two critical functions in our counties; ECDE and vocational training centres, are hugely underfunded. ECDE centres are hugely underfunded, the ECDE teachers are poorly paid, there is no uniform scheme of service and the infrastructure is wanting. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, counties are now putting money into bursary schemes in order to create an avenue for misuse. In fact, in our report that we will be tabling, we have recommended that the Senate abolishes the bursary funds in all the counties so that counties can put their focus around vocational training centres. These centres are designed to provide skills to youth who cannot go to higher education or colleges. They should be trained locally in those vocational training centres. We should have enough manpower, facilities and funding as well as the ECDEs. I disagree with the Mover of this Motion for including county government in this consolidation. We should leave only the national Government-related fund in this consolidation. The county government can be left to only focus on the two devolved education functions of ECDE and vocational training centre. We are seeing a scenario in our counties where the NG-CDF bursary has now been made a political tool for Members of the National Assembly. They go to funerals and announce that they have given money to students. However, they do not mention that that money is from NG-CDF. It is a high time we look at the NG-CDF very critically. I fully agree that the NG- CDF has done a lot of good things in our constituencies, but there are loose ends which must be dealt with. Members of Parliament should be useful in this regard to ensure that NG-CDF is made constitutional. I agree with my party leader who has come out very strongly in support of devolution. He asked the National Assembly not to be used to destroy devolution in this country. They should be in the forefront asking for more money to go to our counties and not denying our counties money for the benefit of NG-CDF. They must understand that they come from those counties, which need roads and other facilities. The development can only be achieved from enhanced funds to our counties. We have another fund that we must also review; the NGAAF for women. They also have a bursary component of that fund. It is not very clear how this fund is being used. The bursary fund is given out secretively by the office of the Women Representative. They give out that money to selected students. There is no process at all. The country must look into these funds and ensure that they are constitutional. If they are not constitutional, they should be abolished. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, this is a wonderful Motion that we should all support with the amendments I have suggested. Abolition of bursary funds in our counties is a matter that this House must look at. We have proposed that in our reports and I hope members will support this. I understand that bursary fund in our counties is a political tool used by our governors to try and appear to be giving some social relief to our people. The Constitution is very clear that if you want to get involved in national Government matters, there must be an intergovernmental relation agreement between the national Government and the county government. There is no supporting intergovernmental relations agreement attached to these bursary funds that are established 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."
}