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{
    "id": 380375,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/380375/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 161,
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Article 175 of our Constitution says clearly that there is separation of powers between democratic principles and separation of powers at the county level. We also know that Article 96 states very clearly that the role of the Senate is to protect the interest of the counties. It is not possible to protect the interest of counties if we consider one side of the county which is the governors and the county executive members. However, we must consider the other arms of government particularly the legislative assemblies of those counties. Over the last couple of months, we have had county governments under serious attacks, sometimes rightfully so because of the budget processes that we saw. However, if we will support the county governments, we must operate on the premises of the “carrot and stick”. We cannot continue to criticize the members and not give them the technology that they require to operate efficiently. A large population of county assemblies is very able individuals. A lot of them are interested in county governments. The Committee on Education, Information and Technology did a tour a while back. We engaged many county assembly members in our tours. We promised them, during the tours, that we would do everything in our power to ensure that they are supported not only by county governments but also by the national Government. Under Schedule Four of the Constitution, item No.32 of the role of the national Government says, the national Government shall create capacity. This is capacity and technological support for county assemblies and county governments, as the Motion urges the county governments to provide the facilities we are talking about; it also behooves on the respective Ministry in the national Government to ensure that the county governments have the capacity to do and to implement what the Motion says. If you look at the roles given to Members of county assemblies, you will see that there are very serious issues that they should tackle. They should tackle budgeting and they are supposed to be very informed while doing those things. However, you will find that county assembly Members that need to be informed and to debate on very serious issues like laws can only do so and consult each other in tea rooms. They have no resources whatsoever. If you asked a county assembly Member to meet you today, anywhere from this country, chances are that they would tell you to meet them in a hotel, a pub or somewhere outside because there is nowhere for them to meet. You have seen how difficult it is for Senators to operate without offices. We even have Senators who are operating from their vehicles. You will see them doing their things in their cars because offices are not ready. We have a plan and an idea of what is being done. However, in many county assemblies, there is no plan. This Motion is supposed to emphasize that even as the county governments plan for county executives and other county government officials, it must also plan for the members of the county assemblies. The same assembly members are supposed to make laws, as I said. They are also supposed to research. How do you make laws if you have not done some research? You will find that there is no research capacity, let alone the few people we have in the Senate and the National Assembly. For the county assemblies, there is nothing. There is no infrastructure. There is nothing they can do to research for laws that we, as a country, pursuant to the Constitution, have asked them to make. Therefore, it will be unfair, The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}