HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept
{
"id": 184209,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/184209/?format=api",
"text_counter": 195,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Wamalwa",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 148,
"legal_name": "Eugene Ludovic Wamalwa",
"slug": "eugene-wamalwa"
},
"content": "Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, we would also need to reform the terms of those office holders. I wish to also support what my colleagues have said. We should not limit it to two years and subject the mayors to the blackmail of councillors. Every two years, they have to set aside funds and hide away councillors in expensive hotels. That has to be addressed. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, apart from that, we also need to address the issue of salaries of all councillors. It is an issue that has engaged the thoughts and energies of our councillors and civic leaders. We need to put it to rest by passing that they should be paid from the Consolidated Fund. If that is done, I think then, they should not waste a lot of time talking about their allowances instead of engaging in serving the people. After enhancing the governance in those areas, we need to look at resource management aspect. What is happening now in our local authorities is that--- Indeed, you will find that many of our local authorities are havens of corruption. We need to do something to ensure that, that is checked. We also need to look at how LATF funds are managed. It is a lot of money. We are talking about Kshs9 billion being sent to those councils. Yet, the only issue that is very pleasing is 2776 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES October 15, 2008 that of allowing participatory approach in terms of involving the citizens in identifying projects through the Local Authority Service Delivery Action Plan (LASDAP) arrangement. I think that is something that must be applauded. It is something that our current Minister talked about. But we need to go further. Apart from involving residents at the stage of identification of priority projects, we also need to look at who manages the funds - the administration of those funds? You will find that elected leaders have very little say. Councillors have no say. The funds are controlled by the officers from the Ministry. When it comes down to the projects, you will find that we have a lot of incomplete projects that are sponsored by LATF. When you ask the councillors, they do not have much information about what is happening. I think we need a system that will be more accountable. The best people who are directly accountable to the people are the elected leaders. I think that is something that we need to look into. You will find that many councils that receive those funds are heavily indebted. My own council of Kitale has a huge debt of about Kshs600 million! Whenever the funds come, we are informed that much of what is received goes towards servicing those debts. But we need to find a way of ensuring that those funds work and development projects are actually seen from the monies allocated. Part of the reforms - and I am happy the Minister has promised to carry them out - have already been mentioned by many hon. Members who have spoken here. We also need to look at enhancing the funds. Recently, we heard the Minister of State for Planning, National Development and Vision 2030, Mr. Oparanya, say that he intends to amend the CDF Act. We hope that part of the amendment would be to increase the amount of CDF funds. We also hope that, in future, if those amounts could be increased to 10 per cent, it will have a major impact in areas where those funds are channelled. We hope that the Minister will also consider, as part of the reforms that he intends to carry out, to enhance LATF. Probably, we can have LATF at the mark of 10 per cent. I think we will have substantial funds that would actually enhance meaningful development in our local authorities. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, as we speak of increasing resources, we need to look at how the resources have been distributed. I also wish to add my voice to support Members who have spoken here. I know that there are some who tried to lay blame on the Minister. There was a particular Member who insinuated that a lot of money has gone to Western Province. But I have gone through this allocation and that is not correct. But I agree with those who have said that a lot of funds have been allocated to Nairobi. When you go through the district allocations, you will find that almost Kshs2 billion has gone to Nairobi. It is the same Nairobi that is the subject of a new Ministry of Nairobi Metropolitan Development. We also passed a Vote here of about Kshs2 billion towards that Ministry, which also goes to the same area. I wish to state that in future, as we think of increasing funds, we also need to look at equitable distribution of these resources. There are very needy local authorities that need more funds yet funds have been allocated to authorities that have resources. Indeed, they have given literal meaning to the biblical saying that unto those who have, even more shall be added, and to those who have not, even the little that they have shall be taken away. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, as we speak, Trans Nzoia, today, has three districts yet no allocation has been made towards Trans Nzoia. I do not know if it was an omission or not. I have seen allocations to our neighbouring districts, that is, Bungoma, Uasin Gishu and West Pokot, but not to Trans Nzoia. We need a lot of help in Trans Nzoia. There are markets to build and roads to be done. In fact, there is a bridge, and I am happy the Minister touched on the issue of disaster preparedness in our local authorities, in an area called Ziwani, which has cut off Kitale in two parts. It separates Mitume and Ziwani. It is, indeed, a disaster. Yet when we have approached the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Ministry of Local Government, we have been told that it falls under the Ministry of Roads. What they have done is to play ping pong with October 15, 2008 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 2777 an issue that needs to be addressed urgently. It is rather surprising that with a situation like this, no funds have been allocated towards Trans Nzoia as a district. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, with regard to the issue of water and sewerage, Kitale Town does not have a proper sewerage system. In fact, we have raw sewage being discharged into River Kiminini. This is water that is consumed by fellow Kenyans. I had expected that this matter would be addressed urgently because of its serious nature. In the area of education, I had expected that there would be allocations. We have a lot of problems with council schools. We have problems of lack of title deeds for the schools, encroachment, water and electricity. Our municipal councils are unable to do much about these problems. We hope that in future, the Ministry will look into these problems and better the education standards in our local authorities. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, with those few remarks, I beg to support."
}