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{
    "id": 1626434,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1626434/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 110,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Cheruiyot",
    "speaker_title": "The Senate Majority Leader",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Senator for Kakamega, either chose not to understand or has a fixed position on this issue and, therefore, found the information not useful to himself. I am disappointed with the two Members that have spoken because they are both Members of the Budget and Finance Committee. This is because they continue to perpetuate a particular thinking which Kenyans disagreed with in 2010 because they felt that without good basis, identifying and believing that there are certain parts of the country based on the general observation that people who live there are wealthy and people who come from certain regions are poor. That is the basis upon which you determine whether the standards of livelihood are worth being brought up to the same level nationally or being left out. It is like assuming that everybody who lives in Karen is wealthy yet you know within the abodes of Karen, there is Kuwinda slum. Everybody believes that if you are to just make a general determination and say people that come from a particular region, you should never address their needs. I heard Sen. Faki say, for example, that he is surprised why Kiambu makes it to the list. I put it to them that in 2018, the Committee on Finance and Budget received a petition from members of the public and they felt that the first marginalisation policy passed by the Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA) marginalized certain areas. It followed this kind of thinking that in the general interpretation and based on our own thoughts and ideas, that there are certain regions and parts of the country that are way ahead because of certain beliefs. They receive rainfall, I think that is what I heard Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale say. Oher regions because they have had the opportunity of producing a President and things like that. That petition spoke to these issues. Number one, that petition to our Committee reminded us that a county is too large a geographical space when coming up with a marginalization policy. They recommended to us, as a Committee, that we ask the CRA, in their consideration of the second marginalisation policy, which is what is in force today, to be more specific to the least geographical administration unit, which in this country, is a sublocation and see the specific needs of residents of this Republic based on where they live. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I recall what the petitioners asked of us at that particular time, but that it is very easy to be misled and imagine that because of certain advantage of climatic conditions or horticultural practices and certain beliefs that people have held about certain sections of the country, that it is possible to continue to perpetuate marginalization due to general belief that certain regions and certain parts of the country are well-endowed. Second and most importantly is that we were asked to do a proper reading of Article 204. I would wish to read for the benefit of the Members that had spoken earlier, particularly Section 4 which directed that the CRA shall be consulted. The term “consult” in this country got a new meaning during the infamous days of the mkate nusu between Kibaki and Raila after the post-election violence of 2007. You remember that on the Floors of Parliament, there was a big debate about what consultation is. I want to believe that it is on that background that Article 204 speaks to. 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."
}