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{
    "id": 262186,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/262186/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 55,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Dr. Otichilo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 131,
        "legal_name": "Wilber Ottichilo Khasilwa",
        "slug": "wilber-ottichilo"
    },
    "content": "I am thoroughly excited and happy with the section that deals with county planning. For the first time we are, at least, coming up with a clear vision on how we should run our government and how planning is so crucial in the management of our resources. This section clearly gives out very systematic procedures on how our county planning will be carried. It also stipulates what categories of planning will be undertaken. I am particularly interested in the proposed integrated development plan that each county must prepare for ten years. This is a very important document that will guide the County Governments in executing their development mandates for the counties. So, this is a section that is important. I am fairly happy the way it has been structured in this Bill. It is very good. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, apart from the integrated development plan, we have the county sectoral plans and the county spatial plan. This is a very important plan for each county. Spatial planning is very important. This will help us not to repeat the same mistakes we have had in our country. We have had no spatial plan and, therefore, the development of our plans has been haphazard. I wish to note that planning is extremely important. However, it cannot be undertaken without comprehensive and up to date information. Under the county planning section, there is no option of how the data for planning will be collected and collated. I wish to note that it is important that under this Bill we have a requirement that every county government establish a county statistical and information bureau. Without information bureau, the planning process will not take place. We must create an institutional framework for collection of statistics and information to allow the planning to take place in this Bill. So, I will be proposing amendments, so that we have inclusion of units for collection and collation of data. Planning now needs technology; it is technology based. I have gone through this Bill, but I have not seen any area where technology is expressed as going to be the main tool for planning. I will, therefore, hope to bring an amendment that will encourage the establishment of a GIS data base system. This is because planning without a GIS data base system, it will not be possible to plan. So, it is important that this Bill has this facility to ensure that planning will be interactive, easy accessible and be updated on time. There is lack of budgeting for collection, analysis and dissemination of information and data in this Bill. So, again, this is an area that is lacking. I intend to bring amendments that will enshrine in this Bill a facility to ensure that budgeting of collection and collation of information is a continuous process. As I said, without information, planning will not be possible. Having said, I wish to note that there are quite a number of sections where I would wish to bring some amendments if the Minister or the relevant Committee will not have done so. There are a quite a number of areas. For example, the title of the Bill is a bit misplaced. It read as follows: “The County Governments Bill”. However, when you read the Constitution, you will realise we are talking about devolved governments. So I wish the Minister would consider the title of this Bill to be “The Devolved County Government Bill”. We want it to be very clear. This is an issue that we will discuss with the Minister at the Committee level and probably when he tables his amendment here. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, there are a number of amendments I wish to bring on board which I do not want to go into their details. These are issues like shared services; what does that mean? When you look at the definition given, you find the issue of public/private partnerships is not included in that definition. There are quite a number of issues that would need to be addressed. For example, Section 17 says the official language of the County Assembly shall be Kiswahili and English languages. However, our Constitution also recognizes sign language. We have also indicated that the Kenyan Sign Language (KSL) will also be part of that language."
}