Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 1520097,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1520097/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 88,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Tharaka, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. George Murugara",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Thank you very much, Hon. Speaker. I rise to support this Senate Bill, which seeks to establish procedures for administration of the Equalisation Fund. The Equalisation Fund is a constitutional provision to ensure that all parts of the country are equally developed to some extent, to ensure that there is some parity in development. We know very well that some areas in this country are more developed than others. Marginalised areas have been left behind not just since Independence, but even during the colonial period. It is because of this that it became necessary to provide, through the Constitution, for development equalisation of those areas through a Fund. This Bill seeks to have the Equalisation Fund administered in a structured manner. I come from a marginalised area in Tharaka-Nithi County. My Tharaka Constituency is highly marginalised, and I have always looked forward to benefiting from the Equalisation Fund. However, because of the unclear way in which the Fund has been administered over the years, especially when it comes to all benefits, we have seen some counties get the lion’s share of these funds while other counties, through sub-locations, get minimal provisions. This cannot be termed as equalisation. It is, therefore, important that we come up with a structure on how the Fund is going to be administered, who is going to give advice on how the funds are to be distributed, and how the funds will be used across the country. Therefore, this is an important Bill. I believe the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning has looked at it. If there is necessity for us to amend it, we will do so. After the preliminaries, the Bill starts with the establishment of an advisory board. I believe this is the board that will be advising on which areas are marginalised and which areas should benefit from the Equalisation Fund. After that, we move to what happens in the counties because that is where the execution of the funds is supposed to take place. It is proposed that there will be county technical committees whose main function will be to determine which areas are marginalised in terms of water and sanitation, roads, health facilities, electricity, and other areas. This is important because when it comes to an area like Tharaka Constituency, all these parameters are applicable. We need equalisation in terms of water and sanitation. Additionally, our roads are not particularly well done. Health facilities are in a deplorable state and electricity connectivity is slightly less than 25 per cent. Therefore, we need a law like this one. I will be advocating that as soon as the advisory board and the other mechanisms are put in place, we look at these marginalised constituencies, including Tharaka, and after that, we see whether we will come to par with the rest of the country. There is also a provision for widening up of the Fund, which is constitutional. This is after it has achieved what it has been established to achieve. I doubt whether this is going to 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."
}