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{
"id": 262248,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/262248/?format=api",
"text_counter": 117,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Prof. Olweny",
"speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister for Education",
"speaker": {
"id": 122,
"legal_name": "Patrick Ayiecho Olweny",
"slug": "patrick-olweny"
},
"content": " Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I stand to support this Bill because it is a very important legislation for this country. It is a legislation that is going to help us to run the devolved governments that Kenyans have been longing for, for so many years. Sometime back, the Executive used to talk of taking the Government to the people. This involved increasing the numbers of District Commissioners (DCs), District Officers (DOs) and chiefs amongst our people. These officers were deployed without resources, yet the Government was talking of taking the Government closer to the people. Those PCs, DCs, DOs, chiefs and assistant chiefs simply harassed Kenyans. They brought no resources. When they had Harambee, Kenyans had to cough out money. Ordinary people would sell their chicken and other animals to give money to the DCs. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the new system we are coming up with is going to take resources to the people. We are going to have the Government amongst the people for the people. The Government is going to take resources to the people. That is why this Bill is very important for this country. That is why it is important, as it has been defined in this Bill, that we have properly qualified people or professionals to help us run the devolved government units. Such professionals will help the governor and the ward representatives to run the devolved units that are going to have so resources taken to the people at the grassroots. In addition to having properly qualified public servants will will help us run the County Governments, we must also tell Kenyans to go for quality leadership as they elect their ward representatives and governors. Otherwise, the resources that we are going to take to the County Governments will simply be used in the same manner that the councillors use the local authorities money that is sent there every now and then. We have seen councillors fight when they elect one another to the office of mayors and chairpersons. When money goes there, they proceed on holidays in Mombasa or outside the country. So, we must have quality leadership in the devolved system of government that we are going to have. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, when you look at the aspects of the Provincial Administration as it is today, it is interesting that it is not captured in this Bill. This will cause us problems. We may end up with parallel governments. We have officers out there, who are called “Regional Commissioners”. We have DCs, DOs, chiefs and assistant chiefs. We are then going to have the governor, the sub-county administrators and officers of the other decentralised units. What are the roles of these two parallel systems? Are we not going to have problems? That is something which I hope the Minister will take into consideration. How are the Provincial Administration and county government systems going to relate. If the Provincial Administration must remain in place, we must define its role. We must define the roles of the Regional Commissioners, the DCs, the DO1s and other DOs as well as that of the chiefs. Otherwise, we shall have problems in the first five years of the devolved government system. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, there is Clause 11 here which deals with removal of the Speaker. I think the vote of 75 per cent is a little too high. Why can we not have two-thirds which is also being used to remove the Governor? Why 75 per cent? Why do we need to make sure that the Speaker remains even if that Speaker is a bad one by all means? Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I like the qualifications of the county, the way it has been defined by the Minister. It is good. I have heard a few colleagues make suggestions. However, the way it is, we are going to have resources in the County Governments. We must have people who are qualified and experienced to help the governor and the County Assembly manages the resources. If we have weaker people, then we may have the resources going in the wrong direction. Part 4, Clause 27 we have 1,450 electoral wards. I am of the opinion that these are too few. I know we are also looking into the cost of running the County Governments. I would have suggested that we have 1,500 wards for the whole country. This is also in line with what Mr. Magerer said. Why do we still need these powers from above for the Governor? Clause 31(2)(b) states that the Governor shall perform such State functions within the county as the President may determine. Where is the Constitution here? This one should be tied to what we have in the Constitution. The President may decide to say his or her own things. We should have normal and constitutional powers coming from above. Mr. Minister, I wish you take that into consideration, so that that is tied to what we have in the Constitution. We can have the rogue president who can decide to suggest anything. There is also the issue of the removal of members of the Executive Committee. What is defined here is good. I agree with the Minister here. Although I know a few people expressed their reservations, but I think that is good enough. I do not think I have more to add. I only have those few remarks to give about the Bill. But no more unconstitutional powers from above. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I support."
}