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{
    "id": 385463,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/385463/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 70,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Elachi",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13115,
        "legal_name": "Beatrice Elachi",
        "slug": "beatrice-elachi"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, it would be wrong to come and tell Kenyans that we have to pay debts without auditing each county council. This House has an obligation to meet the TA and to ask some of these questions. If the Chairman of the TA followed due process, we would have known the debt of each county council. The Government released money to counties. For example, Pokot County received Kshs47 million, but in one week, they had spent everything. It means that other county councils also received the same figures or even more. We have to start thinking how we move on in this country. Indeed, it is so sad for Kenyans to be paying tax and then we ask the Government to pay debts which were irregularly incurred by local authorities. We must ask ourselves what kind of debts we are paying. Are we paying debts where money went into pockets of individuals who we should be taking to court? We will end up having the Governors being taken to court soon because they cannot even question some of these debts. For example, they cannot even question why they are receiving Kshs300 million to build a house when they cannot pay those debts. We thought we were bringing in a new government in the devolved system that can question some of these things. If I were the Governor, I would think twice before I take this money to build an office or a house when there are debts worth millions of shillings to be paid. I will start with the payment of debts if I am willing to serve the people. But the Governors are not talking about Kshs300 million they are given to build offices. They are talking about salaries. They have to be serious in tackling these problems. It is time we, as Senators, ask ourselves whether we still need this TA. This is because the work they are doing is supposed to be done by us Senators. I urge the President to wind up the TA because the Senators will hold the Government accountable. There should be no conflict between us and them. It would be wrong for us to pass this Motion. We channel all debts to the relevant Committee of Devolution for validation. We need to know how much is owed by Kakamega County, so that we can decide whether the Government can pay in phases or not."
}