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"id": 192186,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/192186/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Mbadi",
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"speaker": {
"id": 110,
"legal_name": "John Mbadi Ng'ong'o",
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"content": "Thank you, Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker. As I was mentioning just before I was rudely interrupted, there is no regional balancing in the Budget Statement. I cited the case of the Ministry of Roads. If you look at the Ministry of Roads, the amount of Kshs5,352,985 that is allocated to Central Province is far more than, for example, Coast Province, which was only allocated Kshs355,015,000. In fact, the amount of Kshs2,230,015 allocated to Kirinyaga and Nyandarua North districts is more than the total allocation for Nyanza Province, amounting to Kshs2,090,056. I find that an unfair regional allocation of resources. If we are to support this June 25, 2008 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 1385 Budget, we need equity in the distribution of resources, so that all regions can grow at the same rate. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, I also wanted to mention that, if you look at districts like Embu, Mbeere, Tigania and Meru North, they were allocated huge amounts for the Road Fund and yet, other districts have nil allocations while others were allocated very little. I wonder why we have major road construction in certain regions of this country unlike others. So, the Ministry should try to ensure that it upholds one of the priorities that it has indicated, that is, regional balancing of resources. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, I also want to mention something about the Youth Enterprise Development Fund. The youth of this country need serious affirmative action. In fact, if you look at what happened immediately after election, you would realise that we need to pay more attention to our youth, and ensure that we give them more funds. Giving just Kshs500 million to the youth is a drop in the ocean. The Minister should have considered allocating more funds to the youth. Their development should be taken seriously. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, when I look at the allocation to the Constituencies Development Fund (CDF) for last year, it stood at Kshs10.1 billion. Yet, the calculation is supposed to be not less than 2.5 per cent of ordinary revenue. In the last financial year, the allocation was the same. This time, we have more ordinary revenue. Why are we having the same amount allocated to CDF? Why are we not seeing an increase in the CDF allocation? Thank you very much, Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker. I hesitate to support this Motion. So, I oppose it."
}