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{
    "id": 262093,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/262093/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 482,
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, we realised that we could not legislate uniformly in this Bill for all the counties on how they may want to decentralise below the ward level. We believe that this may be better left to the county assemblies to legislate and decide on how they will want their structures to be. This is where the debate is, as you may have seen in the media; it is on the aspects that have been brought out like the village councils and the village committees. Indeed, in the original draft that we submitted to the Commission on Implementation of the Constitution (CIC), those units were there but in the process, the CIC felt that perhaps it might be better to stop at the ward level and allow the county governments to determine what kind of structures they may wish to have below the ward level. So, that, again, is subject to debate. The rest of this area goes on to cover the issues that deal with the kind of officers that will handle those decentralized units. I want now to bring your attention to Part 7 on page 48. In this area, we talk of the county public service. This is a provision of the Constitution. The Constitution under Articles 10 and 232 is talking of a county public service and yet, we also have the National Public Service Commission. So, the experts have brought out a situation where each county government because it is required constitutionally shall then establish a County Public Service Board whose objectives are spelled out there. The functions and roles of this board are also brought out very clearly. I would like hon. Members to read this very carefully because these are the people who will deal with the establishment of the county governments. They will deal with promotions and disciplinary measures. They will basically perform the role that the Public Service Commission performs, but this is at the county government level. In this Bill we do propose that the recommendation can be a minimum of three and up to a maximum of seven in terms of the composition if you look at Article 56, so that it is a lean board. It will also depend on the size of the county in determining the size that you are able to have. But we are making it very clear that the chairperson, vice-chairperson and not less than three, but not more than five other members nominated and appointed by the county governor with approval of the county assembly. This is a very lean public service. As we go further, we have even spelled out the qualifications of the people who should be able to serve in this board. Human resource is a very sensitive issue. We must have people who are schooled and able to handle these matters at the county government level. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, all that runs through all the way. We have the criteria for abolition of offices and so forth. Even if they appeal issues, how people are recruited, what should be done to advertise. They run all the way to Part 8 because the details are there. It is very elaborate and people can see it has so many clauses which run up to page 71 Article 84. So, all these are important for hon. Members to look at. Citizen participation in Part 8, page 71, Article 85 begins to spell out the principles of citizen participation. This is a mandatory requirement in the Constitution that at whatever level, whether it is at the county government level or the national level and, indeed, even this Parliament we talk of proposing some amendments to the Constitution, they are already preparing for public hearings. So, this citizen participation and how it should be done again we provide for very elaborately under Part 8 of this Bill. That runs all the way to page 74. On page 74 we then come to Part 9 which deals with public communication and access to information. Again, this is a constitutional requirement and we are making"
}