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{
    "id": 233583,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/233583/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 132,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Kipchumba",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 313,
        "legal_name": "Joseph Kipchumba Lagat",
        "slug": "joseph-lagat"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, it is good to say that hon. Members participate in this process. However, passing seven Votes is not even a half of the Votes that are presented in this House. This House cannot change anything. All we do is discuss and pass Votes as they are. We even have Ministers who come to this House to complain of how their Ministries have been allocated little money. It is time that this House participates fully, not in only passing votes, but appropriating the monies that Kenyans pay in taxes. The only way that this can be done is by passing the Fiscal Management Bill, which we have requested that it be brought to this House so that hon. Members are empowered. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the Constitution states very clearly that before the Appropriation Bill is passed, we can only allow withdrawal not exceeding 50 per cent. This House is being taken for granted that we must always allow 50 per cent withdrawal. It is high time that Ministries that do not perform very well, and this House must assert itself on this, be given 10 per cent or 20 per cent. To the extent that they do not perform very well, they must not be given maximum. Those are the laws that this House must make so that we assert ourselves. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the Ministry of Youth Affairs, for example, was allocated Kshs1 billion for the National Youth Enterprise Fund (NYEF). We are almost halfway through the financial year and yet no monies have been disbursed to assist the youth. Despite the fact that we voted this money, it has not been given for use by the youth in our country. This must be done quickly. The greatest problem we have in this country is not the availability of funds, but the use of the same. We vote in money every year, some of these funds at the end of the financial year, are returned because of the inefficiencies of the various Ministries. That is why I say any Ministry that does not utilise its funds properly in the next financial year must not be given the 50 per cent Vote on Account. This is very clear in the Constitution. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I heard the Minister say very clearly that they want to change the Budget methodology. The easiest way to allow us to have time for other activities is to ensure that the budgets of the various Ministries are scrutinised by the various Departmental Committees. Every Departmental Committee should be given its responsibility, so that they can scrutinise the Ministry---"
}