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{
    "id": 383887,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/383887/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 71,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Government is committed. We, as leaders, need to follow up whatever implementation that is needed. We also need to give the Cabinet Secretaries support. When we talk of devolution, I believe that the Cabinet Secretary did so well, especially given the Economic Stimulus Package (ESP) at that time. Indeed, sometimes we look at that and can challenge also the Members of Parliament at that time and ask: What did you do with your ESP? Were you able to open up industries and markets, because there was a programme also? Madam Temporary Speaker, when you go back to most of those constituencies, you will notice that even the fish ponds that we have were part of the ESP. Some of the constituencies picked them and some did not. Therefore, when we blame each other, let us do it knowing that we were also leaders in some capacity. We should ask ourselves: Did I do well at that time? Was I able to deliver economically to my people? At that time, you will be able to evaluate yourself and know where we failed. Was it because of the governance issues that we are talking about? If that is the challenge, then, definitely, even the Governor is going to face the same challenge. How do we support, as Senate, the Governors to ensure that even these programmes that are coming in do not have challenges of governance? When we talk of governance, we are talking of, for example, a county where you have a serious cosmopolitan area, where even now within their political leadership, they are having challenges. When you devolve resources, we also need to ask ourselves; are they going to be able to agree or face challenges of governance? Therefore, we need to relook at all the funds. Madam Temporary Speaker, I know that there is a fund also for the elderly. I would wish the Senate also to look at that. When we passed the fund, did we look at how the counties are benefiting? Are the old benefiting within that fund or is it also just a fund on paper and nobody is benefiting? I think that, that is one thing also that the Government is trying to relook at. That is why I think that we need to support the Cabinet Secretary for Devolution and Planning because all those funds have now been returned to her. I think that it is time that we worked with her so that we also benefit the counties. This is because even if we do not work with her, she will move on. Therefore, it is important for the Senate, if indeed, we are looking at the interests of the county governments, to work with her and support her. We should tell her to look at the counties differently. There are some which have benefited and others which have not. Therefore, I beg to support and believe that we will bring in some amendments."
}