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{
    "id": 357589,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/357589/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 202,
    "type": "other",
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Hearing the contributions of some of the Members, it is obvious that some are mistaking this for the Budget. This is not a budget policy statement where you will find issues such like how much money you schools, say, in Kibra, will get and so on. This is simply the Division of Revenue Bill and the Government has stated that 32 per cent will go to our counties. We must applaud them for that. Devolution has the potential of turning our economy round. Devolution must be supported. As Parliament, we must ensure that we safeguard fiscal decentralization and devolution to the greatest extent possible. Devolution can turn our economy around and provide jobs for the millions of Kenyans out there who do not have jobs. We, therefore, must support it. The disheartening thing that we must mention here is that three years after the promulgation of our Constitution, many Kenyans still do not understand what devolution is about. A few months ago, we had a debate on whether Kenya is unitary or not – that is three years after the promulgation of our Constitution. We must urge the relevant agencies to conduct enough civic education down to the lowest level that can let Kenyans understand. Let our governors and Members of Parliament understand the essence of devolution. As must as we are within one State, there are two levels of Government. Those two levels have different roles as outlined in the Fourth Schedule of the Constitution. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, inter-governmental transfers are just one route of devolution. Remember there are other things that are supposed to be looked at. The first thing is the revenue responsibilities that the counties have. How can we encourage counties to be more productive? How can we encourage the Governors to be more creative? How do we give them incentives so that they produce more so that we do not just talk about revenue allocation, but also revenue generation? The second thing is about expenditure responsibilities. In the course of the campaigns, we heard Governors make promises of doing certain which are not within their roles. The same passed for Members of Parliament. We must understand the roles of a governor so that we are clear about devolution. Finally, the issue of borrowing must be clear. The Constitution stipulates that a county must get a guarantee from the national Government. However, the parameters have not been verified. I would like to call upon the Transitional Authority and other agencies of Government to conduct further civic education to ensure that our governors and others follow the real principles of devolution as espoused by Article 174 of our Constitution. If you look at the promise made by the national Government that it would ensure that 30 per cent of all contracts go to young people, that is a promise that must also go down to our counties. Even within the counties, 30 per cent of all contracts and business should be given to young people. If you did that in all our counties at the same time, the issue of unemployment amongst our youth will be dealt with. I must also applaud the Treasury for giving us this Bill so that we follow step by step what Article 218 states. I have heard some hon. Members say that the Treasury has ignored the recommendations of the Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA). If you look clearly at the law, there is, indeed, a process that has to be followed. CRA is supposed to do recommendations which are then brought to this House. They are also taken by the Treasury which then produces the Division of Revenue Bill, but giving"
}