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"id": 392989,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/392989/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Mutula Kilonzo Jnr.",
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"legal_name": "Mutula Kilonzo Jnr",
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"content": "so that, then, the national Government can be compelled to have such policies, particularly in areas that are challenged, like in my own county, so that we can have water harvesting instead of waiting for rain. Madam Temporary Speaker, coincidentally, while most people are waiting for rain in counties like Makueni, God has blessed us with rivers that do not dry. But unless we harvest this water, it does not make sense while people wait for rain and water is passing through the county throughout the year. Therefore, this recommendation is timely and it must be implemented to its logical conclusion as fast as possible. I have gone into capacity building within the county assemblies and I know for a fact that most of the county assemblies are challenged in terms of legislation. We have not made any progress at all in terms of these legislations. There are no trained draftsmen either from the county or the national level that can assist these good people in drafting legislation that can help the specific areas that are covered under the Fourth Schedule. I have in mind something very serious and it is the forests. In my own county, people are harvesting trees as if Jesus is going to come soon, and it is a troubling issue which is creating a problem in the county. But these people are challenged as they cannot draft legislation or regulations. Madam Temporary Speaker, the county governments of Machakos and Makueni have stopped sand harvesting whereas there is no legislation or regulation. So, we should build their capacity so that they can then start doing some of these things that are so dear to these counties and which are long overdue and hence my suggestion that instead of waiting for a report after 12 months, we should be doing this quarterly. They should sample the visits in such a manner that, then, we can have statistics that we can rely on as the Senate to say that up to this level, this quarter, we have made progress or otherwise, so that then we can inform ourselves of things that we need to do. Madam Temporary Speaker, on the issue of media coverage and reporting, it will surprise you that some of these county assemblies cannot prepare reports of even their committees. They sit and when a Senator requests for a report, this report is not available. It is not because they cannot write, but there is a problem with capacity building. It means that even writing of reports is also a service which we must take to these people, including things like budgets, which are much more detailed. Even reporting is itself a problem. Madam Temporary Speaker, in conclusion, I want to support this Motion and state that in terms of Article 96 of the Constitution of Kenya, we must be seen to be working. We must also work and deliver results to the people of Kenya. This Senate is the ultimate custodian, not only of ideas, but of devolution. Therefore, counties are looking up to us to develop such policies and recommendations. Let us not fill the library of this Senate with reports and nicely typed, bound and done documents, but take action so that at the end of our term, we can then proudly say that we have protected devolution and not that we have a record of developing well written, well typed reports and in good time. I beg to support."
}