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{
    "id": 191033,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/191033/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 206,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Ogindo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 120,
        "legal_name": "Martin Otieno Ogindo",
        "slug": "martin-ogindo"
    },
    "content": "Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, I rise to second the Motion. As you are aware, we are Members of the Kenya National Assembly and we have three cardinal roles to play. The first one is that of legislation. I want to persuade this House to consider giving leave for the legislation of this Bill. The other role that we play in this House is that of representation. We represent Kenyans and they are the taxpayers. It is their taxes that fund the Budget. To that extent, I feel that it is imperative that as representatives, we be involved in the entire Budget making process as has been articulated by my colleague, Mr. Mbau. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, the other role that we play is that of oversight. You will appreciate that over 60 per cent of the time of this House is spent on debate on the Budget. As we do that, we do very little with regard to representation and playing the oversight role or being watchdogs. It is time that this House engaged a lot more. We are capable of doing much more than answering to the call of \"Ayes\" and \"Noes\" when it comes to the Budget making process. As I have said in this House before, there are certain laws that are very crucial to the welfare of this country. Among them is the long overdue Budget law called the Fiscal Management Bill. What this Motion seeks to do is to ensure that the people of this country and their representatives are adequately involved in the process of sharing the resources of this country. The issue of resource sharing is at the centre of peace or absence of it in this country. It is important because we have tried to leave it to the goodwill of the people that are charged with the responsibility of distributing these resources, but it has been very disappointing. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, against that background, I think this House will find it very compelling to enact a law that will remain blind to where people come from and ensure that there is equity. As you are aware, the people from Lokichoggio, Mandera, Msambweni, Othaya and Kipipiri pay taxes. The same applies to the people of Rangwe! I want a situation where, if somebody from Kipipiri is in the Treasury, then I have no fear about resources going to Lodwar, Msambweni or Mandera. I want to see a law that will compel the person charged with the responsibility of distributing resources in this country into fairness and equity. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, I will not mind if people from Central Province get 20 per cent of the resources of this country, because they are 20 per cent of the Kenyan population. I want to see a law that will ensure that 14 per cent of the resources of this country goes to western Province, because its people constitute 14 per cent of our population. I want to see a situation where 13 per cent of the resources of this Republic will go to Nyanza, because its people constitute 13 per cent of the population of this Republic. It is against that background that this House needs to be involved more, so that every hon. Member who sits here can go back and tell his people: \"This is your share of the national cake to which you are contributing\". We can only achieve that if we enact a law. The law is this and the time for that law is now! July 2, 2008 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 1551 I am aware that there is some similar law that is being prepared by the Ministry of Finance. I want to urge this House that be it from the Minister or this House, the time to enact this law is this year, so that we face the next Budget with a new law that will ensure equity all over this country. With those few remarks, I beg to second."
}