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"speaker_name": "Mr. M.Y. Haji",
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"legal_name": "Yusuf Mohammed Haji",
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"content": "Thank you very much, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir. From the outset, I would like to support the Motion and at the same time commend the hon. Minister because I consider him to be one of the best level headed Ministers in this country. We know how some few years ago local authorities were being run left and right. Civil servants were disappointed and discouraged while councillors were being threatened. However, at the same time, the truth must be said and I would like to express my feelings very sincerely. I am really flabbergasted, disappointed and discouraged to note that the fears that we had as a community way back in the 1962/63, that we were going to be marginalised by our big brothers in this country is being exercised very openly everyday. I am saying this because last time when we were contributing to the Budget, I said that the Budget mentioned the northern part of Kenya or the arid areas in only three lines and money was allocated only for water as if the only thing that we need is water. Today, if you look at this book, it is written: \"Republic of Kenya, Ministry of Local Government, District Allocations Development Vote.\" However, I would rather call it: \"Republic of Kenya for Very Selected, Few Privileged Districts Development Allocations.\" I am saying this because there is no mention of Ijara or Wajir districts. During the financial year 2002/2003, some money was allocated to tarmac Masalame District Headquarters and Mandera District Municipality. Tenders were advertised but they were never awarded. That money was re-allocated to other areas of this country. The question that one asks is this: Is this really fairness? It is not fair at all! Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, we would like to be treated like the rest of the country. We are not asking for any privilege. We have the right to be considered like the rest of the country. If this trend will not change, I think a time will come when we will ask for self-determination so that we can decide about our future and not have people deciding for us and deny us what is rightfully ours. When I look at the Local Government generally, people are talking about corruption in this country, about things that happened 15 years or two years ago like Anglo Leasing and others yet we see in a very glaring manner corruption being perpetrated by councillors. There are councillors who are being locked in hotels for days and months so that they can be induced to elect a few who have the money to buy them. Is this really the proper way of doing things in this country? Why do we not say: \"We are a corrupt country and, therefore, everybody should be free to be corrupted\", if we cannot control things that are happening before our very own eyes. The other day it was Kilifi, yesterday I saw it in Mombasa and the same thing is possibly happening in other places. For the time the Minister is here, we would like him to bring sanity to the method of elections in local authorities in this country. There should be rules and regulations governing elections of mayors and chairmen of local authorities just like the ones governing elections of hon. Members as well as Presidential elections. Secondly, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I want to comment on the issue of the minimum qualification for councillors. Most of the councillors, particularly in my area, cannot even read their own names let alone reading the rules and regulations of the council. Therefore, 2498 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES August 1, 2006 there is need to introduce a minimum qualification depending on the level of development for the various parts of this country. For instance, in North Eastern Province and other areas, one should be a holder of a Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) and the rest of the country, may have A-level Certificates of Education. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, most local authorities are run through trial and error. This is because there are no by-laws. Councillors cannot sit and introduce by-laws. The only councils which have by-laws are the ones which were established way back in the 1940s and 1950s, during the British rule in this country. For example, here, in the Nairobi City Council, by- laws exist. However, if you go to Ijaara, Garissa and other places, there are no by-laws there. In my area, cattle sleep in the town streets as if it is a cattle boma, and yet councillors, because they do not know their responsibilities, cannot deal with the owners. These people are not aware that they are endangering the health of people and also infringing upon their welfare. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would also like to speak on LATF and LASDAP. I think that there is a lot of mismanagement of the LATF. There is, therefore, need for the Ministry to introduce rules that will govern the manner in which the LATF Fund is going to be used. I would like to suggest that no money should be released to local authorities before they come up with a proper development plan. The Ministry, until it is satisfied with that plan, should not release the money. Currently, the LATF money is being used to cater for personal emoluments and recurrent expenditure of, say, running motor vehicles and council offices. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, perhaps, there is need, in order to curtail the misuse of the LATF, for the Government to give a certain amount of money to councillors in form of salaries, the way hon. Members of Parliament are paid from the coffers of the nation. This is because most of the councillors are not able to sustain themselves by using the revenue that they generate from their localities. I tend to agree with what hon. Ligale suggested, that some councils should be amalgamated in order for them to be able to manage their affairs. I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Town Clerk of Nairobi City Council. In the same breath, I would also like to congratulate the Minister. It is just the other day when a Minister woke up at 2.00 a.m. to go to Uhuru Park where he took the law in his own hands and tried to stop a demolition of a mission at Uhuru Park. We would like to commend the Town Clerk and all those who are doing a wonderful job. We ask them to continue doing so because we shall give them all the necessary support. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, since there are other hon. Members who would like to speak, I beg to support."
}