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{
"id": 1570385,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1570385/?format=api",
"text_counter": 276,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Mandago",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "you, as a member of the county assembly, even on a read-only basis, to look at the financial position of your county in order to see what has been requisitioned, what has been approved, and what has been paid out. It has been paid out. As we speak, we are operating silos of financial management systems that do not talk to one another, and it makes the work of oversight and accountability a little bit difficult. In this age of technology, it is possible to integrate IFMIS together with the system the Controller of Budget (CoB) is using and the CBK payment platform and allow for real-time availability of data and the use of finances. Madam Temporary Speaker, this will not only apply to county governments, it should also be applied to the national Government entities, so that even members of the National Assembly should be able to oversight state departments on real-time basis, we avoid the wastage that occurs, and only deal with the matter when the money has already gone. That will ensure that the resources that we, as the Senate, keep fighting for to go to our counties is properly utilized. On the issues of accountability and in making sure that we have proper oversight, I thank this Senate for first accepting that our county assemblies must become autonomous. The position the Senate has taken is so that county assemblies will be able to perform their work. As we speak, there is very little oversight in terms of what the MCAs are doing in their counties. I am a little bit disturbed that when you look at the financial prudence now in the counties, it looks like the accountability standards have been lowered. I say that because in my own county, I am surprised that the executive in my county can have up to Kshs400 million in unaccounted imprest. I do not understand what kind of development is being done using imprest. Imprest collection is not any form of procurement. It is not any recommended procurement procedure. If you find a county with over Kshs400 million, in excess of Kshs100 million, unaccounted imprest, you have reasons to worry. That is particularly when you do not even hear anything from the county assemblies. We must strengthen county assemblies for them to be able to conduct oversight. One way to strengthen county assemblies is to increase the salaries of the members of county assemblies. The Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) in their duty, in my view, I think committed an error of omission by increasing the salaries of the County Executive Committee Members (CECM), the county Waziris, to close to Kshs400,000 a month. We expect the member of county assembly to earn Kshs132,000 and oversight the functions in the county, while also being the first point of call of every citizen of this country, whenever they have a problem. Madam Temporary Speaker, remember, Members of Parliament are in Nairobi. Unfortunately, in this time, more than 50 per cent of the governors operate from Nairobi. So, they can also not be found in their counties. Who is left at the county level to deal with the general population? It is the MCA. Madam Temporary Speaker, we must live life realistically. We must be practical. I have heard people make arguments that, you know, fundraisings are not part of your job description. If an expectant mother comes to a house of your house, as an MCA and"
}