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{
    "id": 1613830,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1613830/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 249,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. M. Kajwang’",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "to include 12 counties, including Homa Bay County. Therefore I will be very happy to report to my people that I have delivered some Kshs400 million. Let me conclude by saying this, if we are honest with each other, the Third- Generation Formula, which split this House right in the middle held harmless the so- called small counties because we froze Kshs158 billion and said that Kshs158 billion was not going to be subjected to the new formula. The proposed Fourth-Generation Formula, the Sen. Roba formula, has held harmless the so-called small counties by freezing or ring-fencing Kshs387 billion. The group of 11, the G11, has further convinced the House to hold harmless by ring-fencing Kshs2 billion. That is sufficient. If we had Kshs450 billion, we would all be able to go home smiling that we have increased the allocations to our counties. Let us also think about not just the conditional grants, let us think about the Equalization Fund and look at how it is distributed amongst these counties. Some of these counties have had historical cases of marginalization and so you might find that there is a bigger allocation of the Equalization Fund to mitigate some of these shortfalls that we are talking about. Let us also ask ourselves the effect on per capita allocation. If we do this mathematics, this BODMAS equation that we are trying to do here, you will end up with a high per capita allocation in Isiolo compared to Kakamega then the Senator for Kakamega or Homa Bay will have to struggle to explain to the people who elected him why Isiolo or Tharaka Nithi has the highest per capita allocation and not the counties that we represent. We are here for purposes of equity. Further, the proponents of this amendment need to give us simulations because this is not something you just talk about hivi hivi . You need to tell me that if you move from Kshs2 billion to Kshs4.46 billion, therefore, Homa Bay is losing Kshs100 million or is gaining or is holding constant. Without that visibility, it would be extremely dangerous for any Senator in this House, outside the group of 11, to support this amendment when you do not know what impact it is going to have on your county. I finalize by urging the leadership of the Committee on Finance and Budget that if you put this matter to the vote this afternoon or today, perhaps it will be lost and perhaps it was a good idea, but let us first understand how much money we have at our disposal. To the governors, you cannot use this Senate only when it is convenient. We have governors who refuse to appear before our committees, but when they hear that there is a pie being shared somewhere, all of a sudden even the ones who are sick find their way to State House. Shame on those governors who escape accountability, but want to hang on the Senate or want to criticize the Senate when it comes to allocation of resources. It is the duty of Senate and the National Assembly to determine the allocation of revenue between national and county governments---"
}