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{
    "id": 383528,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/383528/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 179,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "June 25, 2013 SENATE DEBATES 24 Sen. Wangari",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Madam Temporary Speaker, I rise to support the Motion and congratulate the Mover. Madam Temporary Speaker, I want to pick from where the President stopped during the summit that he recently held with the Governors from the 47 counties, and actually be more optimistic than the Senator for Laikipia. We all know that the longest journey starts with one step. By all means, this country is ready for devolution. If we were not, then we would not have passed the Constitution as it is right now. Madam Temporary Speaker, I want to actually pick up from where the Senate Leader of Majority left. I would like to note that when we look at the efficiency or performance of roles more effectively, it will take maybe a whole week or more, even to procure a piece of chalk because of the processes followed in the national Government. These county governments are settling down and they need to be supported. At the same time, we cannot dismiss them and say that they lack capacity. When we were discussing the Division of Revenue Bill, the Committee on Devolved Government and the Committee on Finance had a lot of reservations. It is true that counties do not have the capacity or they are not ready to shoulder some of these responsibilities at the moment. They need time to reorganize themselves. The President was right when he gave directive that some of these functions be devolved immediately. We cannot keep on waiting until we say we are ready to devolve these functions. We must start the discussions. We are not actually hiring new personnel for the counties or doing everything from point zero. We are looking at staff who are already in the counties. The central Government can assist county governments to start off by seconding officers, so that they are effectively managed. We must not shy away from taking this role to the county governments. This will lead to more efficiency and things we will move faster. It will also lead to the local people that we represent in this Senate feeling that they own a piece of the processes. If they can be entrusted with the Early Childhood Development (ECDE), which is already a function of the counties, why can they not be entrusted with taking this children right from their daycare to the primary and secondary levels? Madam Temporary Speaker, I support the Motion. It is time that we gave it a chance; we should be optimistic and ready to build the capacity of the county governments."
}