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{
    "id": 1514168,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1514168/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 551,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Tharaka, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. George Murugara",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I want to thank Hon. Chepkong’a for bringing this legislative proposal to amend the Constitution. This House must be ready to effect the proposed constitutional changes of entrenching the three Funds. Other constitutional amendment proposals will be brought, some as Bills and others as recommendations for a referendum. This House must consider them. Hon. Chepkong’a has explained why we must entrench those funds, with a special emphasis on NG-CDF. This is due to the fact that courts constantly pronounce themselves in a manner we never agree with. This is what we are trying to rectify. Just the other day, the Court was bold enough to pronounce itself, declaring NG-CDF unconstitutional. There is a pending appeal and a proposal on this to amend the Act to comply with whatever they are saying. At the end of the day, there must be an end to everything that has an issue. We have been told that the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF) is unconstitutional, but we will make it constitutional. Nobody will ever again say that NG-CDF is unconstitutional. I know that Hon. Gichimu, Hon. Chepkong’a and the whole team have come up with a draft proposal for those funds. We also know that His Excellency, the President of Kenya, who supports the NG-CDF to the oath, sent us a memorandum saying that he needs to have those Funds entrenched in the Constitution. Therefore, we are not engaged in an exercise in futility. It is high time we realised this dream, which is at the core of Kenyans' hearts.’ We have previously said that when you go to our rural constituencies, the only visible development you will see must have been financed with NG-CDF. Most of the governors we think have always had a hand in those court decisions are busybodies. They have not even done much with all the billions that they get. When they are asked about this, they say that the money is not sufficient, and that they have many expenses to pay and so on. The NG-CDF is the only way the national Government can show the country that the Government is developing the rural areas. That argument about MPs being involved has been tackled through statutory amendments. And as we speak today, I have gone through the NG-CDF, and I cannot point out any place where a Member of Parliament is involved. Therefore, what is next after what Hon. Chepkong’a has done? It is a proposal that is being mooted. We will commit it to some of the stakeholders, including the Office of the Attorney-General and the constitutional offices, who are supposed to look at this so that we receive and collate views. After this is done and everything is put in place, the Bill would now be published as a constitutional amendment Bill. We have looked at the provisions of the Constitution, and we are satisfied that this Bill does not require a referendum. Provided that this House can raise the two- thirds majority, we will be able to entrench those Funds in the Constitution. We will be doing this as soon as possible. I can assure Hon. Chepkong’a and the Honourable House that we will not sit on our laurels as soon as this is done. We will move out there and ensure that the views are collected and collated, and the Bill is back in the House for publication, reading, public participation and debate. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}