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{
"id": 1563735,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1563735/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Cherarkey",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 13217,
"legal_name": "Cherarkey K Samson",
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"content": "of entrenching the NGAAF and the Senate Oversight Fund. The bait that public participation is being used is that if NG-CDF or NGAAF is entrenched, then bursaries will be available. I agree with the prayers that we need to consolidate these bursaries and make education free for all. Bursaries have been reduced to tokenism. If you support an MCA, governor, a Member of the National Assembly or a Woman Representative, you are given a bursary. Why is it that despite an amount of Kshs656 billion being allocated to education, we still have many children who cannot access education in this country? Those are the hard questions that we must ask ourselves. That is why it is important that we consolidate all bursaries, direct all national Government administration officials to ensure a 100 per cent transition rate for children in primary and secondary schools; now that the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) has been changed to Competency Based Education (CBE), so that everybody can access education in this country. This issue of bursary has been reduced and weaponized as a campaign political tool which Members of the National Assembly, NGAAF and governors are using. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I do not know whether during your era and that of Sen. Ali Roba, whether it was possible to use bursary as one of the key development achievements. While I agree human development capital is very critical, it should not be the only yardstick that the members of the Council of Governors (CoG), the Members of the National Assembly and the NGAAF use. In my own opinion, I am surprised there is public participation to entrench it. This is making education costly. We must agree that the planners--- Every day, every function I go to in Nandi County, I must meet one or two parents or a number who want support for education in terms of payment of school fees. Where did we go wrong? The silver bullet in all this is to consolidate the entire bursary fund, make education free and compulsory for all Kenyans, so that it becomes easy. That is why I saw some people saying the Senate needs oversight. Then we might end up being paid a representation fund, a legislation fund, and an oversight fund. I want to challenge the Members of the National Assembly because I have seen a commentary by one of the legal minds. I was sitting with one of the senior legal minds today during the power lunch break. The questions that Kenyans are asking: Why would you want to oversight yourself? “Mganga hajigangi.” Allow the indulgence so that I can drive the point home. Even in my local language and sorry for mixing both languages, it is “Kinyozi hajinyoi.”; “A barber cannot shave his own head.” So, I am challenging the Members of the National Assembly that if you want to manage funds, run for these two offices. You either run for President or run for governor. Why do you want to have your cake and eat it? As a Senate, there is no day we have said- -- We say we want the Senate Oversight Fund. In my own opinion, that fund should be given to the counties or the President, and then we do our work as oversight. For the first time, I am in support of Baba Raila Amolo Odinga because the work of Members of the National Assembly and the Senate is to legislate, oversight, represent and budget making. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I do not know, but you need to check whether Sen. Eddy has both shoes on because the last time there were people without shoes in Migori County. 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."
}