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{
    "id": 1555172,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1555172/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 32,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Wamatinga",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I also rise in support of the Statement. Indeed, there is no single country that has ever progressed without taking the basic infrastructure; the connectivity that connects a community and country. We know the importance of regional integration. Most of the business partners lie across borders. It is important to ensure that we not only put the necessary resources, but also improve the infrastructure that will ensure the flow of human goods and facilitate the mobility of labor as envisaged in our East African Community (EAC) undertaking. Mr. Speaker, Sir, it cannot be overemphasized, the importance of us leaders not only fighting over the resources but ensuring that services are delivered timely to the people and by using the right channels. As has been said by my colleague Sen. Osotsi, indeed, devolution came and changed many counties. It would achieve even more wonders if we allocated more resources to them. We started this Senate on a high note of unbundling all the devolved functions and ensuring that budgets follow them. That has remained elusive. The political goodwill that was brought on the table is dwindling by the minute. It is only two years to election. We will all place ourselves before the electorate and say what we have been able to do. Therefore, we should speak with the voice of reason, whether we sit in the National Assembly, in the Senate, or in the governor's office. At the Governor’s office people have been known to lack accountability and use the resources that have been allocated to not only do what they think will advance their political goals, but sometimes with skewed priorities. Therefore, as the leadership of this country, it is important that we call them out and tell them that the governors must get what they are entitled to get, but then they should allocate resources depending on the priorities as envisaged by our 2010 Constitution. As I sit down, indeed, it is a very sad affair that we see the control of the National Assembly on almost everything that gets to pass in this House, be it the allocation of the budget or the oversight role. With too much on their hands, they are left to only mismanage. We must tell ourselves the truth. It is high time that we changed the way we are doing things. It is high time that we confronted the reality that development in any part of this country is development everywhere. Mr. Speaker, Sir, as I sit down, I listened to the President explain about the construction of roads in the northern part of the country. Indeed, it is very sad that 62 years after Independence, 80 per cent of the landmass of this country remains 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."
}